Gotham Holiday
by mintos013
Summary: An apprentice story set immediately after the series and movie. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Invitation

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter 1:** Invitation

* * *

 **The early December chill wisped around the Tower. The city remained quiet as dark winter clouds rolled overhead. Snow was rare on the west coast, but the ground had managed to frost over, making the grass on the Tower's island white and brittle. Inside the Titan's headquarters, however, it was warm and cozy, and a perfect night for a movie.**

"So are you going to go home again for the holidays?" Beast Boy asked as he hopped over the curved sofa to sit by Robin.

"Of course." Robin looked up from the book he'd been reading and smiled at the other teen. "And actually, I was wondering if—"

Beast Boy grabbed the book.

"—Hey!" Robin tried to swipe it back, but Beast Boy flipped onto the back of the sofa, crouching to examine the book's purple binding and gold lettering.

"Looks like something Raven would own," the shapeshifter said. The title was scripted in oversized gothic letters. Reading it, Beast Boy's nose wrinkled in distaste.

" _Joker Lore: Prince of Crime._ Dude. You're reading a biography? For _fun?_ " The green Titan skimmed the pages. "And look! It hardly has any pictures. You know, Robin, Cy and me both got tons of comic books you can borrow, right? I have this whole series about a time-traveling detective you'd probably really like."

With a half-hearted scowl, Robin swept the book back into his own gloved hands.

From behind the kitchen counter, Cyborg said, "BB! Did I hear my name? You talking smack about me again? Cause I will come over there and you will become extinct. All fifty variations of you!"

Twisting to see his other friend, Beast Boy raised his hands in mock surrender. "Not necessary! I was just giving Robin a hard time for reading this really boring-looking book on that stupid clown the Joker."

Beast Boy dropped back down onto the sofa seat next to Robin. "Why would you wanna read about that guy anyway? You and Batman fought him like a zillion times, right? What's there to know? I mean, he's a fruitcake who dresses up like a clown."

"He's insane," Robin agreed, "but he's not just some fruitcake, Beast Boy. He's probably the most dangerous villain I've ever met." _And I hope that you never, ever have to meet him. None of you._

"But you and the Dark Knight always handled him." Cyborg sat down on the other side of Beast Boy holding the giant bowl of the popcorn he'd been popping on the stove.

"Friends!" Starfire zipped into the room and tucked onto the sofa beside Robin; her fingers casually intertwining with his. "I am not too late for the movie? Raven and I have only just returned from listening to the tales at the depressing café. Her poetry was very well-received, was it not, Raven?"

Raven had risen up through the floor and sofa to take a seat by Starfire. She shrugged. "Nobody cried or ran out screaming."

"Is that a good thing or bad thing?" Cyborg whispered behind his hand to Beast Boy, who gave a shrug of his own.

"It sounds interesting. Maybe we should all go sometime." Robin smiled briefly at Raven before turning his attention back to Starfire, who had started telling the group all about Tamaranean death songs.

But Raven found it difficult to listen. Her eyes had widened in surprise when Robin suggested that the whole team hang at one of her haunts. She imagined all of them there, sitting around a booth at her favorite café and listening to open mic night or the moody music that usually played. Raven hid a small smirk behind her hand. _They'd_ definitely stand out in such a gloomy, contemplative place. Unless… Her private smirk grew as Raven pictured her friends dressed like the other gothic teens at the café.

 _They'd actually look kind of… cool,_ she thought, regarding them.

"I would demonstrate such a song," Starfire was saying, to which her team members stiffened, "but the incessant, loud shrieking would make my throat most sore. I hope you will forgive me. Perhaps another time?"

"That's okay," Robin said quickly, and the rest of the team gave a sharp nod of their emphatic agreement. He decided it was best to change the topic before Starfire changed her mind.

Looking to Cyborg, he asked, "So, what are we watching?"

Holding up the remote, Cyborg clicked the DVD player into action. "The guy at the new movie place said it's an action-horror-sci-fi flick with a little bit of comedy and romance—well, until the twist at the end. Does that sound like us or what?"

"Sounds awesome," Robin agreed, reaching for some popcorn.

Cyborg obliged, handing the giant bowl over to Beast Boy so that they could all three reach the hot, buttery deliciousness that was his stove-popped creation.

"The twist?" Starfire asked. The popcorn smelled wonderful, but even with her nine stomachs she was still sated from eating with Raven at the café.

"It means that something unexpected will happen," Raven supplied. "Usually something bad."

"But not always." Beast Boy stuffed popcorn into his mouth as he spoke. "Sometimes it's a funny twist or a good one—like a character you thought died comes back to save the day or a monster eats the bad guy right before he can finish off the heroes."

"Oh I see. But I do hope this twist does not lead to an unhappy ending," the alien girl admitted. Despite how much she loved it whenever Raven invited her to 'hang out', Starfire had experienced enough melancholy for one day.

"Either way it's just a movie, Star." Robin gently tightened his grip on her hand. "If it has a bad ending we can always watch another movie or do something else to cheer you up."

"Yeah, or get Rae to arm wrestle BB again," Cyborg offered with a grin.

Starfire chuckled as her friend Beast Boy grumbled about fairness and 'over-powered demon girls'. "I am sure that it will be fine and that I am just being a big _blorth blorth_. Come, let us watch!"

But right as Cyborg was about to press play, Raven asked: "What are you reading?"

Her eyes were on the purple book still lying on Robin's lap. It was partially hidden under the hand that wasn't holding Starfire's.

Raven was glad someone else in the Tower appreciated books, or at least what she considered _real_ books. The other boys read magazines and comics for fun. And Starfire? Raven was pretty sure Tamaraneans relied on an oral tradition anyway.

"Oh it's a boring book about—"

"Not you," Raven hissed at the shapeshifter, although there was no real malice behind her voice. "I was talking to _Robin_."

But before Robin could answer, Beast Boy glowered at Raven and said, "Well tough luck, Goth Girl! Because Robin made me his official public relations spokesperson. The Teen Titans are kind of a big deal now that we've iced the Brotherhood and all those other losers, so we're going to have to deal with more PR issues than ever!"

One of Raven's eyebrows went up in annoyed, partial confusion as she tried to make sense of his rambling. "…What?"

"He's just kidding, Rae," Robin said, passing the book over to her. "Although he's probably right—taking out the Brain and all those other villains will have repercussions at some point, and if it means more media coverage, than that has its pros and cons for young heroes, too, of course. But anyway—it's a book on a villain called the Joker. Have you heard of him?"

Raven met his masked eyes. "I know all about him from you. From the bond we formed when I was in your mind, remember?"

She added the last part more for the benefit of the others than Robin. There was no point in being cryptic. The Teen Titans had survived enough together that they didn't see the need to keep secrets from each other anymore. Robin showing them the contents of his briefcase had been the last real barrier to the total, open trust they currently enjoyed. Since then, he'd been less guarded; and that somehow made the whole Tower less tense.

 _Oh._ Robin realized. Well of course she knew about the Joker. His last memories of the man were pretty intense, but Robin didn't want to dwell, so he said, "This is a book of theories, stories—some true and some not—about him. It says 'unofficial biography', but it's really more like a collection of urban legends mixed with some actual real documentation."

"Urban legends?" Beast Boy asked. "That actually might be interesting."

"It's nothing I haven't heard before yet," Robin said, "but I grew up in Gotham for the most part so that's no surprise."

It was still strange to them to hear their leader talk so openly about his past. Not that they didn't appreciate it—being fully trusted—at _last_ —but it was still a little disorienting for them to think of Robin as a person _other than_ _Robin._

"Speaking of home…"

The other Titans noted his sudden hesitation and immediately looked at him, but Robin's gaze was fixated on his knees.

"Before we start the movie," Robin continued, "I wanted to ask if, you know, you guys didn't already have plans, if you maybe you wanted to come hang out for the holidays at my house—the house I grew up in—I mean. ...In Gotham."

Silence greeted his invitation.

Uncomfortable, Robin added, "I already asked and it's approved. Um, there are rules you'd have to follow. For example… you couldn't come as Titans. You'd have to wear a holowatch to make you look like regular citizens. Otherwise it could jeopardize not just my identity, but a lot of other people's, and their loved ones. But I think it would be fun if we could all stay together this year."

 _And safer,_ he admitted to himself. They hadn't really been apart much since the Brotherhood's near-success. Robin wasn't sure if he was ready for them to split up again, even if only for a few weeks.

But they were still and quiet, and the sheer awkwardness he felt forced Robin to look up at Starfire.

Positively beaming, she threw her arms around him in a back-crushing hug. "Oh it sounds wonderful, Robin! I cannot wait to meet your Alfred and see your home and greet your _K'norfka_!"

Beast Boy couldn't believe his luck. Last year Robin had gone home alone and Cyborg had left the Tower to visit his grandparents for the holidays. Raven had stayed in her room the whole time and Starefire had just moped around, not even wanting to play with Robin's stuff again. It had been so boring! He couldn't even visit the Doom Patrol because they'd been off planet for a mission. Spending the holidays with all of his friends this year would be great! Plus—

 _Holy cow, we're going to meet Batman!_ The shapeshifter couldn't wait to see the legend in person. "Dude, are you kidding? This is awesome!"

"Can we see the Batcave? Please tell me we can see the Batcave!?" Cyborg grinned, channeling BB's hype.

"I've heard Gotham is… dark," Raven said, pleased.

Robin smirked at her as Starfire released him and he was able to breathe again. "You have no idea."

"And I don't know what he'll give you access to," Robin said, facing the guys. "To be honest—probably not much. Not the first time. And… like I mentioned before, we're not going as Titans."

Robin sliced a hand through the air. "In fact, there will be absolutely no hero work while we're there."

He had almost winced while saying it.

"Dude, why not?" Beast Boy asked. "I understand not showing up to your house as Titans, but why can't we help patrol the city? This is Gotham we're talking about! It's full of crime, right?"

"Because it's his condition, and… I actually agree," Robin admitted. "Because Gotham isn't like Jump. It's really dangerous… and…"

"We can handle it," Cyborg said. "We handle danger here all the time. Not to mention we've been all over the planet and even other planets."

"And other dimensions!" Beast Boy added with arms crossed. The popcorn bowl remained perched on his lap. "Starfire's even been in other futures! C'mon, Robin! Cy's right. We do danger like every day!"

Robin didn't want to be condescending. "We do—and we're awesome at it—but please, just trust me here. I'm sure you know there are some really, _really_ bad criminals who like to show up in Gotham. Here the villains are dangerous, too, but… not like Gotham."

"Do you not have faith in our abilities? Or is it your _K'norfka_ who does not?" Starfire asked. His hand tightened gently around hers again and Starfire felt the indignation building in her heart soften.

"You know I do, Star," Robin said without hesitation. "And Batman—although he has a hard time giving praise to _anyone_ —does, too. Trust me, if he didn't approve of our team's work he'd have told me by now, and he wouldn't want to meet you guys. But he does."

"I still don't see why we can't do our thing there, especially if we're needed," Cyborg said. "You've said it yourself a hundred times; we're heroes, Robin. We can't just hit an off switch. Besides, you were running around Gotham saving the day when you were like eight-years-old, right?"

"More like saving the night." Robin couldn't help a small, nostalgic smile. "But even after I trained I still got left behind pretty often. It took a few years before our partnership really solidified and even then I rarely was on my own. I wouldn't patrol Gotham without him watching my back unless there was absolutely no choice."

"We've got each others' backs, Rob," Cyborg pointed out.

"I know. But he's right, Cy," Robin insisted. "He has to think about the city, and at least for this time, we would only make the city more dangerous and his job more complicated."

Cyborg's brow furrowed. "But—!"

"—It's okay, Robin," Raven interrupted. She met the gaze of everyone. "We understand. Gotham is a dangerous place. The villains there are more experienced and more violent than the ones we typically face, and your guardian doesn't want any of us to get hurt. He doesn't want to have to account for us when he's protecting the city."

"Yes," Robin said, relieved. He absently let go of Starfire's hand and rubbed his right shoulder as if comforting a sore bruise a few moments before rejoining hands with the alien girl.

Cyborg, who prided himself in being skilled at both sizing people up and reading their body language, didn't miss the subconscious movement. He'd seen Robin do it several times since they'd met, and he knew by now what it meant. This wasn't scratching-the-back-of-the-head nervousness. Nope. Their leader was deeply anxious—maybe even afraid—but of what, Cyborg could only guess.

Though he was starting to get the feeling it was more than some fear Robin might have about the team screwing up and embarrassing him in front of Batman.

"Don't take it personally," Robin said with a hopeful note in his voice.

He focused on Cyborg and Beast Boy. "I made that mistake once, but it didn't take long, not after we formed the Titans, for me to see things from his perspective. I understand now what it's like to try and keep people _I'm_ responsible for as safe as possible."

"And…" Robin frowned and the masked eyes fell again, "…thanks to Slade and the Brotherhood, I know how it feels to completely fail, too."

Starfire rested her other hand on his arm in silent support.

"Hey man, we get it. Maybe don't like it, but it's cool," Cyborg assured, deciding it really wasn't worth pushing after all. Not for the moment anyway. It made sense that Batman wouldn't want a crew of (however gifted and amazing) teenagers running around his turf. Like Robin said—just more to worry about.

"As the guests of your _K'norfka_ it is only right that we abide by his requests," Starfire decided. "Besides, it might be nice to take the vacation? We had such fun in Tokyo before you were arrested and the ink creatures began attacking us."

Relieved again, Robin looked up. "So you'll come then? All of you?"

"Yes," Raven answered.

"Of course!" Starfire cuddled against him in excitement, making the Boy Wonder blush a moment before slipping his arm around her.

"Man there's no way I'm missing a chance to meet your 'knorka' or whatever Star called him," Cyborg said with a laugh. "Plus my grandparents are going on some kind of cruise for senior citizens this year. I'm definitely in. How about you, BB?"

Beast Boy snorted. "Are you kidding me? Of course I'm going! It's freakin' Gotham City and Batman! Oh, and um, it'll be cool to see your house and spend time with everyone, too, Robin," he added sheepishly.

Robin smiled. "That's great! I'll let Alfred know."

The shapeshifter grinned at Robin. "So these holowatches… They'll make us look like normal people?"

"If you mean 'average citizen', then yes," Robin said. "You won't be green when you're wearing it activated. In fact," the Titan rubbed his chin, "you can probably tailor it to look however you want. They'll come in the mail before we leave so we can get all the settings figured out."

"Really?" Beast Boy bounced on the seat and sent popcorn flying everywhere. "This is going to be so sweet!"

* * *

 **Less than a week later, the Titans began the trip to Gotham. For Robin, his trip began on a flight far north to Pinnacle City and a night at the St. Regency, an elite luxury hotel owned by Wayne Enterprises. The suite was large and handsomely decorated, with a bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining area, and a balcony view of the mountains that surrounded Pinnacle City.**

 **Room 1939, the room Robin had checked into, was a room off limits to the public. It was a room that Lucius Fox had overseen personally.**

"Thanks again for protecting Jump while we're gone," Robin said to the image of Bumblebee on his communicator.

" _No problem! Jump City's in super safe hands. Things have been so quiet over at Titan's East since we all kicked the Brotherhood's butt that I'm tempted to say there shouldn't be any problems at all,"_ Bumblebee responded.

She hesitated and added, _"Hey Robin, are you sure you don't want to tell us where you guys are going off to… just to be safe?"_

"No can do," he said, shaking his head, "but don't worry. The mission we're going on will take a few weeks but shouldn't be dangerous."

" _Just super secretive?"_

He grinned. "Thanks again, Bee!"

And before she could protest, the Boy Wonder snapped his communicator shut. He silenced it, having long ago already turned off the tracking feature.

Setting the communicator aside, Robin opened his briefcase and pulled out the only pair of Dick Grayson's clothes he carried with him at the moment. It wasn't necessary to carry a wardrobe around since Robin barely spent time out of costume anymore.

 _It's funny. It feels like I'm taking off my normal clothes and putting on a Dick Grayson costume,_ he thought to himself as he changed clothes.

Because he didn't think of himself as Dick Grayson. He was _Robin_.

He neatly folded his costume and placed it in the briefcase, adding his mask and communicator to the top before closing the lid and securing the encryption lock.

Robin then crossed the plush carpet of the suite to check his appearance in the mirrored doors of the room's bedroom closet. His designer clothes were tailored to fit just right. He wore black jeans a warm grey sweater.

 _All I need is a ski mask,_ he mused. Robin opened the closet and took out a pair of expensive black tennis shoes. He swapped out of his steel-toed boots, placing the combat shoes in the closet and closing the door. He'd pick them up on the return trip.

He'd neglected to spike his hair up after taking a shower that morning. It was brushed and smoothed down with gel. He'd pulled two short pieces down near his temples, shaping them into curls that faced each other, sort of like upside down devil horns, and his Dick Grayson costume was complete.

The room's wall-mounted phone rang and the front desk informed Mr. Grayson that a car waited to take him to the airport. They took the extra step to assure him that nobody on the staff had alerted the media to his presence at the hotel, and Robin thanked them for their courtesy before hanging up.

It was cold outside, so he put on the dark red scarf and toboggan Alfred had sent him last year for Christmas. Not caring that it was early evening, Robin slipped on a pair of sunglasses. He took his briefcase and left the suite for the airport.

* * *

 **Flight 194 eastbound for Gotham City would take off shortly after 10 PM and was expected to arrive around 1:30 AM, assuming the snow continued to hold off in Gotham.**

Robin boarded First Class, stored his briefcase overhead, and took his single seat by the window. Shortly after, he accepted a small pillow and fleece blanket from the stewardess. She gave his sunglasses a brief frown before moving on. Robin didn't waste time freeing the comfort items from their packaging and wrapping up in the blanket. He always got cold flying, and since it had been snowing in Gotham, the trip was only going to get chillier.

Soon enough the plane was off the ground and Robin watched Pinnacle City disappear beneath the clouds, just as he'd watched Jump the previous morning. Once again he was glad Titans East had stepped in to keep vigil of the city in his team's absence.

Robin closed the window's plastic shudder. He was fortunate to have nobody sitting near to him. In fact, First Class was only half full, which meant there was a very tiny chance of anyone recognizing Dick Grayson and bothering him. Smiling at his luck, Robin reclined and curled into the seat while pulling the blanket up this shoulder, wanting to trap as much heat as possible. He then tried to ignore the way his ears popped as the plane gained altitude. He yawned against the pillow. He was almost asleep when his skin began to crawl. It was the uneasy, familiar feeling of being watched that he'd become sensitive to while working in Gotham.

 _It's probably because I look like a kid. Or maybe it's the sunglasses,_ he figured. He _really_ hoped no one had recognized him as Dick Grayson. Dick Grayson, after all, had graduated high school extra early and was attending a super-private, super-elite college in Pinnacle City and wasn't due to be traveling home for the holidays yet. He'd transferred there from Gotham State roughly a year and half earlier (or at least that's what the tabloids thought—ever since Robin moved to Jump).

Still, trained to be careful, Robin mentally ticked off the other people he'd seen in First Class. There were six others, all dressed business casual, and he could hear some of them clicking away on their laptops. None had really stood out, except for a woman in a bright red blouse who at first talked _way_ too loud for that time of night, and an older guy with an eye patch reading _The_ _Pinnacle Chronicle_.

 _I'm being paranoid. It'll probably get worse the closer I get to Gotham,_ he thought to himself, closing his eyes. Gotham practically _manufactured_ mental disorders.

* * *

 **Gotham International Airport was not terribly packed at roughly 2:30 AM.**

Starfire, wearing her holowatch, blended in with the Earthlings all around her. She had found airports to be incredibly busy and confusing places, but through the kindness of strangers, she'd successfully navigated to Gotham City. She followed the other passengers into Gotham International Airport and was relieved to find this airport less occupied than the last.

She soon 'claimed' her luggage before the other passengers could claim it; a pink suitcase. She'd been unable to bring her own suitcase from Tamaran as Robin had declared it "too alien".

She was now to find Robin's Alfred, or one of her friends, as soon as possible. She scanned the people sitting and hurrying around her, wishing to see her boyfriend's spikey head among them. Starfire missed Robin and hoped they would be reunited soon. She did not like being apart from any of her friends, but especially not from Robin. It had been most difficult… seeing him frozen and on display. She had worried that the freezing was lethal. Fortunately, it had not been.

She smiled, remembering his reaction when she'd first switched on the holowatch back at the Tower.

* * *

 _"Wow, Star. You look great", Robin said, watching her pose and twirl in front of her mirror._

 _On the floor, poor Silkie blinked up at her in confusion._

 _The holowatch changed her hair color to a chocolate brown and made her eyes an Earthling shade of green. It altered her eyebrows to be long and skinny like the other Titans', and the sight of them made Starfire giggle. Her skin had lost its soft orange hue and now appeared a light brown._

" _You might want to part your hair differently," Robin suggested. "You still look very Starfiery."_

 _Starfire brushed her hair until more of it was parted to the right. "Is that better?"_

" _I wouldn't say better, because I prefer the way you normally wear it," Robin told her with a smile, "but it's definitely different. It still looks nice if that's what you're worried about."_

 _Starfire returned his smile before focusing on her holowatch. She twisted the dial and her clothing changed from the white formal gown she'd been wearing to a pair of jeans and a lovely purple sweater._

* * *

Robin had asked them to take different flights and from different cities to reach their destination. These precautions had made Starfire and the others realize that it was indeed a very big deal for them to all go to Gotham, and in fact quite a risk.

She desperately did not want to accidentally ruin the trip by becoming lost or sneezing a starbolt.

"Kori, is that you?" a tall boy with a backpack asked. He wore a navy hoodie, a white shirt beneath, and blue jeans. The hood was pushed back so she could see his face.

Starfire gasped, happy to see her friend. "Cy—I mean Victor, it is good to see you! Did you have a good flight?"

Cyborg, also wearing a holowatch, shrugged. "I mostly slept to be honest. It was weird not having you guys available to talk to. Have you seen anyone else?"

She shook her head. "I only just arrived. Do you know where we should go now to rendezvous with Robin's Alfred or perhaps the others?"

"Yeah, follow me. I studied the floorplan of this airport before we left. There's a general waiting area that they're probably at, you know, since we're all coming in on different flights," Cyborg told her, leading the way.

* * *

 **Robin's Alfred was a tall, slim, older man that the teens instantly recognized from the picture they'd seen of him in Robin's briefcase. He wore a black tailored suit and held a small sign that simply said WAYNE in black letters.**

"Ms. Koriand'r. Master Victor. My name is Alfred. It is so good to meet you," the butler greeted. "Master Richard and your other two friends arrived over an hour ago. I hope you don't mind that I took them to the mansion and returned for you. Airports are dreadfully boring for young people, and they were quite fatigued from travel."

"Not at all!" Starfire assured. "It is our pleasure to meet you. Ro—Richard has said so many kind words about you."

"I could say likewise about all of you," Alfred replied. "Now, if you'll hand me your luggage, I will take you straightway to the rest of your party. It's early in the morning, but we should leave soon before any of the paparazzi happen to make a round."

Both politely declined having an older man carry their belongings. Seeming to have expected their response, Alfred asked the two teens to follow along as he led them from the airport.

"Why should we leave before any papas—paparazzi happen by?" Starfire asked.

"Because they will start taking pictures, and pictures can create trails of evidence," Alfred explained. "It's a week earlier than when Master Richard usually comes home for the holidays, but you never know when one of those infernal tabloid pushers are hiding to pounce."

The butler glanced to see if they were bothered by his momentary rant. Seeing that they were not, Alfred continued on. "While they might not recognize either of you, they would most certainly recognize me, and thus become _quite interested_ in finding out who the two of you are."

"Are you a famous person, Alfred, that they would want to pounce and to take pictures of you?" Starfire asked.

"Not him, Kori," Cyborg said. "He's not the celebrity."

"Oh! So Richard is a ce-le-bri-ty? A famous person?" Starfire guessed. Robin had of course mentioned that his _K'norfka_ was quite wealthy, but he had not told her about these rude, pouncing paparazzi people. If she met one seeking to harass him, she would be sure to pounce first.

"As heir apparent to the Wayne Estate and future Chairperson of Wayne Enterprises, I should certainly think so." Alfred led them outside to where an extended, black luxury vehicle was parked. He opened a door, first for Starfire, and then circled around to open one for Cyborg, before taking their luggage and placing it in the trunk.

Alfred slid into the front seat. He drove his young companions through the brief stretch of Gotham on their way to the manor, which was situated on a cliff side not too far from the city. As they passed under the towering skyscrapers, Alfred glanced up at the review mirror to catch the two teens, noses to the windows, gaping at the almost Gothic, urban scenery rolling past. The butler smiled. Evidently they were impressed.

* * *

 **A precarious, winding road took them towards 1007 Mountain Drive. Even from far away, the manor loomed, and Cyborg and Starfire both pressed against the car's tinted windows to take in the sight.**

The manor was built on a cliff that overlooked the ocean. The dark clouds rolling overhead, the sharp face of the cliff, and the ocean far below all granted the structure qualities of a Gothic haunted castle. There were grand windows, columns, and snow-caked rooftops that sloped into sharp points. The ground and bushes were also coated from where snow had fallen the previous night, almost delaying their inbound flights. Warm lights glowed from within the mansion's massive windows.

Cyborg grinned, excited to explore the place despite how jet-lagged he felt. He checked his holowatch and saw that it was almost 3 AM.

 _I bet anything the Batcave is right underneath this place,_ Cyborg figured. He really hoped Robin would sneak him down there for a peek.

"It is beautiful," Starfire said, and stifled an uncontrollable yawn. "We will all fit quite comfortably in such a large home."

Alfred overheard her and smiled as he pulled into the front turnaround, parking before the manor's front steps.

* * *

 **Robin ran down the steps to greet them as they stepped from the sleek car.**

Part of him still couldn't believe that Bruce had allowed them to come—but here they were! Everyone he cared about and wanted to be with for the holidays was going to be together under one roof. Even if only for a few weeks, his two worlds were being brought together, and Robin had to fight from smiling too big at the thought.

"Did you guys have a good trip?" he asked.

"It was fine. There were many kind people who helped me navigate Earth's aerial transportation system," Starfire replied as Robin gave her a brief hug that made her warm despite the chilly weather.

He then turned to Cyborg, who bumped his fist, and Robin said, "Garfield and Rachel are already settled in. I convinced them to go on to bed since we couldn't be sure when your flights would arrive. They were both pretty beat."

"Yes," Alfred remarked, taking their luggage from the trunk, "Master Garfield turned into a sleeping _green_ kitten on the way here and Ms. Rachel was forced to carry him inside. It's quite fortunate that _that_ didn't happen at the airport."

Cyborg and Starfire politely took their luggage from Alfred, uncomfortable again with having someone carry what they could easily carry themselves. If anything, it only seemed to amuse Alfred and Robin, who shared a silent glance. Robin then quickly led them inside to escape the snowy weather.

Cyborg sighed in relief as instant, pleasant heat washed over them upon entering Wayne Manor.

"Wow! Nice crib, Rob!" Cyborg whistled, taking in the high ceiling—so high that it had giant columns supporting it in various places throughout the room. The room began as a foyer, but Cyborg saw where it leveled down with small adjacent staircases to a living room area complete with comfy looking couches, a large coffee table, and some furniture composing the entertainment center. The centerpiece of the area, a huge fireplace, cast warmth and light over the living room.

"Thanks," Robin said. "Come on and I'll show you your rooms."

Alfred followed the teenagers as Robin led them up a wide staircase to the second floor on the west wing of the manor where the guest bedrooms were situated. Each Titan had their own room, of course, and the rooms were all right beside each other.

As they walked up the long, ornately carpeted halls and passed unique works of art, Cyborg continued to point out how cool Robin's house was. Even after Cyborg had learned the Boy Wonder's identity (and cyberstalked Dick Grayson to learn more out of sheer curiosity), he still hadn't really imagined what growing up with that kind of wealth looked like. Seeing the manor now really brought it home to him that their leader was one seriously rich kid.

Starfire seemed equally impressed as she glanced around the cavernous mansion, its artwork, the details in the glass and architecture. Her friend's home was truly beautiful!

"Here's your room, Star. Cy, yours is right across. Beast Boy and Raven are these two," Robin said, pointing to two other doors.

Although the lights were off in Beast Boy's and Raven's rooms, Robin had the feeling that Raven was still awake. He brushed the sensation away. Ever since the incident with the dust he'd shared a strange bond with the girl that he still found hard to fathom.

"But where is your _K'norfka_? Should we not greet him?" she asked.

"He's working," Robin said, opening the door to her room. "And he'll probably be asleep for most of the day tomorrow, but don't worry. We'll be here long enough to see him plenty of times."

Alfred was across the hall, showing Cyborg into his room.

"Night, ya'll!" the teen called before following the butler inside.

"Good night," Robin replied, stealthily closing Starfire's door for a moment of privacy with her.

The alien princess sat her pink suitcase down and admired the spacious bedroom. There was a large canopy bed with decorative pillows and a soft looking comforter. The whole room—from the bedding to the curtains, to the accent pieces of art, had soft shades of purple woven throughout. Antique dressers sat on either side of a large window for her to use. An overstuffed armchair and a vanity were also tucked into different the corners of the luxurious room.

To her delight, there was also a small fireplace with a warm fire already burning. Starfire didn't require the extra heat, but the dancing flames were pretty and she found the gentle hissing and popping of the wood instantly calming.

Starfire hovered over to the lavender curtains and pulled them back to reveal a remarkable view of the ocean, or it would have been, if not for the weather-frosted glass that somewhat obscured the view.

Robin joined her by the window. "I'm so glad you guys were able to come."

"As am I," she said softly, turning to give Robin a contented smile.

Little fireworks went off in Starfire's heart as he returned her smile and moved closer. Her hands slid around his waist and soon his careful hands were also holding her, one hand brushing her hair aside and the other gently grasping her arm to keep them steady. She suppressed a giggle over the way he had to lift up on his toes to kiss her; such was their current difference in height. It was a not an especially long kiss—but it made her tingly all over and Starfire truly wanted to make it continue. She wanted to pull him back in for another, deeper kiss, but he was already letting her go.

"Goodnight, Star," Robin said.

Starfire was overjoyed to see the happiness in his blue eyes. It made her feel like she could fly around the Earth ten times in one second. "Have wondrous dreams, Robin."

"You, too. I better go before Alfred notices the door is closed. He's really old fashioned and might flip," the Titan said with a grin. "I'll see you tomorrow."

As he turned to go, she realized she had no idea exactly where he was going. "One moment. You did not say which room belongs to you."

He opened her door and stepped halfway out. He could hear Alfred and Cyborg still talking just inside the room across the hall. _Something about breakfast…_

Robin refocused on Starfire. Yawning hard, he said, "It's on the other side of the manor in the family quarters. Alfred would have put you guys over there, too, but there aren't enough bedrooms on that side. I'll show you where it is tomorrow, okay?"

Starfire agreed, although she wished for them not to be far apart. She gave him another warm smile before closing her door.

Moments later Alfred joined Robin in the hall. Together they left the guest wing, but not before Robin gave the butler a hug.

Surprised, Alfred blinked down at the dark head pressed into his suit. He gave Robin's hair an affectionate ruffle, just enough to mess it up, and the boy let him go.

"I have missed you, too, of course," the butler said, allowing a smile at the now spikey-haired boy. He resembled a maskless _Robin_ much more than Dick Grayson. Out of habit, Alfred smoothed the unruly hair down with two quick swipes of his hand.

"I know, but I've wanted to do that since the airport. I just didn't want to embarrass you," Robin said, smirking to himself as they headed up the hall.

"I appreciate your consideration, Master Richard," Alfred replied. "Now, I believe it's best that you follow your compatriots' examples and head off to bed. I'll inform Master Bruce that you're all here and settled in for the night."

"Thanks, Alfie," Robin said right as they paused at the main staircase. It was where they were to part ways for the night.

Alfred said, "Master Richard, I know that you possess a small streak of mischief, but please tell me you don't intend on using _that_ moniker in the presence of your friends?"

The Titan laughed. "Of course not, Alfred. I know Maggie's the only one who can get away with it. How is she anyway? Will she be coming over any?"

Robin liked Alfred's girlfriend. She was good at getting Alfred to have a life outside of the manor.

"Most definitely, especially once she knows that your friends and you are here," Alfred said. "You know how she quite enjoys the company of young people. They make her feel young herself."

"I think Starfire will love her," Robin said, yawning again as he subtly watched Alfred for any cues as to how the older man felt about the alien girl.

Robin didn't just hope— _he needed_ —both Alfred and Bruce to like his friends, and vice versa.

Alfred's eyebrow arched up, and Robin was afraid the butler was about to say something negative, like it being unwise to date a fellow Titan, but the eyebrow fell and Robin realized that, in his own way, Alfred had been teasing him.

The butler said kindly, "Ms. Koriand'r is a very nice young lady; very well-mannered and considerate of others. I'm sure Master Bruce will agree. I have quite enjoyed meeting your friends, Master Richard. It is satisfying to know that you have found good people in Jump City with which to surround yourself."

Robin beamed. Starfire had just been officially Alfred-approved, and so had the rest of his team, at least as far as first in-person impressions went.

 _One down. One to go,_ the Boy Wonder thought to himself before bidding Alfred goodnight and heading to his old bedroom.

* * *

 **1)** This story takes place right after the series and movie. I think seasons 1-5 of _Teen Titans_ occurred over a short period of time—like maybe a year and a few months. For this fic, which is set post series and movie, I pin the Titan's current ages from oldest to youngest as: Cyborg and Starfire, 17; Robin and Raven, 16; and Beast Boy, 14. Their ages and birth order are just my head canon though.

 **2)** This story operates under _Batman: TAS's_ origin story for Robin and some events from post-crises (specifically Robin being beaten nearly to death with a baseball bat by Two-Face and the Joker having shot Robin in the right shoulder). For the purposes of this fic, however, Robin would have still been 13 when Two-Face clobbered him but only 15 when the Joker shot him/Batman "fired" him and Robin relocated to Jump.


	2. Dust

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Two: Dust**

* * *

 **Alfred entered the guest dining room balancing a silver tray that held glass pitchers of water, orange juice, and milk. He noticed the teenagers standing around the room's elongated table rather than seated and eating, and his brow furrowed.**

"Is there a problem with breakfast, Master Richard?"

"Breakfast? More like break-feast!" Beast Boy drooled, turning starry eyes up at the butler. There was even stuff for vegetarians! "Dude, did you seriously make this much food all by yourself?"

"Everything's great, Alfred," Robin assured, smirking at Alfred's reaction to being called _dude_. "It's more than we usually have at the Tower, but don't worry, we'll make sure it all gets eaten before the trip ends."

"You got that right!" Cyborg was still in awe of the table they'd found stacked high with food. There were small mountains of sizzling bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, tofu and regular sausages, assorted muffins, different fruits, vegetables, bagels, French toast, jams, different syrups, and a large bottle of mustard.

"Yes," Starfire agreed, "thank you so much, Alfred, for this bountiful gift of delicious foods!"

"You're very welcome, Ms. Koriand'r," the butler replied, setting his tray on its stand by the wall. "Now please, feel free to 'dig in' as much as you like. I'm afraid I must run an errand for Master Bruce. I'll return later and straighten up here. Do enjoy."

"Thanks again, Alfred," Robin said as the butler slipped from the room. Robin then pulled a chair back from the table for Starfire.

Starfire blushed a bit before sliding in. "I thank you, Robin!" she giggled. "You are most gentlemanly this morning."

"It's _Dick Grayson_ , remember?" he reminded gently, smiling. "And he was raised to play a gentleman."

With a nervous grin Beast Boy followed Robin's example and offered Raven the chair across from Starfire. "For you, Mademoiselle! And may I add that your holowatch hair is looking quite lovely this morning?"

Raven glanced from the chair to Beast Boy, shrugged, and took the seat. "…Thanks."

She used her powers to move the chair right next to her backwards, returning the gesture. With a wide smile Beast Boy sat down beside her.

"But seriously, Rae," he said, his cheeks turning pink as he fiddled with his fingers, "I like the new color. It makes you look like a snow princess."

Raven blushed a millisecond before schooling her face back into passivity. "I uh… made it white because the rest of you have black or brown hair. …And you're supposed to call me 'Rachel', _Garfield_."

"Heh. Sorry." Beast Boy scratched the back of his currently brown hair and his light blue eyes were apologetic. "Even though we all look pretty different, I keep forgetting to use our other names."

"Me too," Cyborg admitted, sitting at the head of the table. "But I guess we need to get better at it. Didn't you say there's a party while we're here?" he asked Robin, who had grabbed the water pitcher and was pouring himself a glass.

Robin nodded. "Bruce always throws a huge Christmas benefit for Gotham's youth homes. Anybody else want water?"

"Me!" Beast Boy paused from piling vegetables and soy sausages onto his plate and held up his glass; Raven silently held hers up as well.

Starfire was already halfway through devouring the now mustard-drenched bacon on her plate. Curious, she paused to ask, "There are homes in the City of Gotham just for youth?"

"Youth homes are for kids who don't have anywhere else to go," Robin explained as he filled up Raven's and Beast Boy's glasses. "Usually they're runaways, but there also some kids who are just lost or who don't have families to take care of them."

Starfire frowned at the thought of such children. "And we will be able to attend this party in their honor as well?"

"Of course! With your holowatches on it should be fine." Robin set the water pitcher down on the table. He brought over the other two pitchers as well before taking his seat by Starfire.

"And it's not really in their honor," he continued. "A benefit is a party thrown to raise money. The youth homes depend on donations to stay open."

"I see," Starfire said. She felt she was lucky to have friends who were always willing to help her understand such things. "Your _K'norfka_ is a kind man to raise the donations. I cannot wait to meet him."

Robin smiled. "Bruce is great. Batman, too, when he's not being bossy and unreasonable and grumpy."

"Well now, the apple doesn't fall far from the Bat-tree then, now does it?" Cyborg said with a grin, and the team laughed while Robin scowled.

"So when is the party?" Raven asked.

"Usually Christmas Eve, so we've got a few weeks," Robin replied.

"This party sounds pretty sweet," Beast Boy said; his mouth full of cucumber. "If this is how Bruce Wayne throws breakfast, I can't wait to see how he throws a party!"

Robin scratched the back of his head. "Don't get too excited. It's just Gotham's elite standing around eating finger foods and patting each other on the back. I've always thought these parties were pretty boring to be honest."

"Yeah maybe in the past, but this year you'll have _us_ to make the party worth remembering!" Beast Boy said.

Robin said, "Well, as long as we're not too memorable. You're already going to draw some attention because you're unfamiliar faces. We don't want people becoming too interested though, so no hanging from the chandeliers, okay?"

"Why do they pat each other's backs, Robin?" Starfire found the thought most amusing. She added five bagels, a scoop of eggs, and more bacon and mustard to her plate.

"Call me 'Dick'," he reminded, grinning. "As for the patting… It's an expression that means wealthy people like to congratulate each other for being so rich. I know it sounds strange, but it's true. You'll see what I mean at the party."

Starfire consumed all of her eggs in one gulp. "I look forward to seeing this strange patting of the backs. Also… I prefer to call you _Richard_ when I cannot call you Robin."

"That's okay," he assured, forking some waffles onto his plate and grabbing some fruit chunks to add on top.

"Do you think anyone will recognize Cy or me?" Beast Boy asked. "I mean, we're using our real names and we've never tried to hide who we are before."

"If all goes well, only Gotham's elite will see or interact with you two during this whole trip," Robin said. "And trust me, they'll write all of you off when Bruce tells them you got to come out of charity. He's gonna say you four are lucky youth home representatives."

Robin rolled his eyes. "They'll think it's cute of Bruce and dismiss you guys entirely."

"But what if someone does get curious?" Raven asked. "Couldn't they find out that we're not from Gotham by checking the airport records?"

"Oh, you're not from Gotham's youth homes," Robin said. "Bruce sponsors youth homes throughout the world; several in each of the cities that you guys flew in from. If anyone really calls us out on your names, I guess you guys can just say it's a coincidence. I mean, there have to be plenty of people named 'Victor Stone' and 'Garfield Logan' out there. I found four 'Richard Graysons' in the phonebook one time."

"You could also change your appearances up more for the party," Robin added, "but like I said; they'll probably ignore you once they think you don't have any money or connections. If they talk to you, just be sure to keep the conversation focused on _them_. It won't be hard."

"Do you have any friends here, Richard?" Starfire asked. "You speak so disfavorably of 'Gotham's elite'. Do you not have any friends here that we will meet at this party?"

Robin, about to take a bite of a waffle, paused to think.

Well.

Did he have friends in Gotham? He considered Lucius a friend. And Gordon. Sort of. Gordon's daughter seemed nice, too, though he really only considered her an acquaintance. There were also Earl and Marva Cooper, aka the Batmobile's primary mechanics. And did Dr. Leslie count?

"Not really… our age," Robin said finally. "I'll know a lot of the people at the party, and a lot of people will act like they're my friend, but they're not really."

"They pretend because they know you have the money and the connections?" Starfire guessed, and when Robin nodded, she added, "Such people exist also on Tamaran. They pretend to be well-intentioned and caring, but in the end, only want favors. My sister loved to make them think that their flattery worked upon her. It amused her greatly to see them do the, as you would say, 'sucking up' to her."

Robin swallowed some waffle and said, "I can see that. However, I have to be nice to these people. It would make Bruce look bad if I ignored them."

"This food is so good!" Beast Boy exclaimed, unable to contain it any more. "How'd you go from this to eating pizza every day?"

Robin shrugged as he scarfed down more waffles.

"Man if I lived here I would get so fat," Cyborg said past his towering plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs. He accidentally dripped syrup on his hoodie, but since the clothing was mere illusion, the syrup seemed to disappear from sight.

Starfire smiled at the novelty of seeing all her friend dressed as ordinary Earthlings. Robin did not look like himself at all, but she found his appearance what she was sure Earthling girls referred to as "cute". He was wearing beige cargo pants, a white long-sleeved shirt, and a red sweater vest that was pulled over his shirt to keep him warm. Without his mask and wearing such an outfit, he looked much younger then sixteen.

 _It is a good disguise,_ she decided. _No villain would ever guess that a boy who looks like this could be a warrior like Robin._

The rest of the Titans wore their uniforms beneath the illusions created by their watches.

Beast Boy's holowatch gave the illusion that he wore a white and green long-sleeved shirt and pants similar to Robin's. His change was the strangest to Starfire because she was so accustomed to her friend's green skin. Now he was closer to the color of Robin, and his eyes, although a lighter shade, were also blue. His teeth were also no longer extra sharp or protruding from his mouth when it was closed. His holowatch hair was almost the same brown color as Starfire's.

Her friend Cyborg remained in the same outfit she'd first greeted him in at the airport; a navy hoodie, white shirt, and blue jeans. His holowatch also gave him hair, which was black like Robin's but much shorter. Starfire herself still appeared to wear blue jeans and a purple sweater; however, she'd tinkered with the holowatch's settings and had added some tiny pink rhinestones around her collar.

Starfire was delighted by Raven's new brown eyes and snow-colored hair. Raven appeared to wear black jeans and a formfitting navy knit top with wide sleeves. Starfire felt the look was very pretty on her friend.

"Ugh," Beast Boy moaned, patting his stomach, "I can't believe I'm already getting full. It's so good! And there's way too much left."

"Don't worry. Alfred won't throw it out. He hates wasting anything," Robin said, using a fork and butter knife to saw apart his remaining waffles. "It can always be reheated later."

"Are you sure the Tower doesn't need an Alfred?" Cyborg joked.

"Dude it would take ten Alfreds to keep up with our messes," Beast Boy said.

"Nah, he'd get us trained pretty quick," Robin said. "Mother Mae Eye has nothing on Alfred. He'd have the Tower sparkling and so well organized we wouldn't even recognize it."

"Sounds good to me." Beast Boy leaned back in his chair. "Plus we'd eat something other than pizza every day. Couldn't you at least ask him?"

Robin shook his head, knowing his friends weren't serious. "He'd never leave Bruce. And think of how lazy we'd all get."

"And chubby," Raven added, secretly loving all the food, too.

* * *

 **After the feast that was breakfast, Robin showed the Titans parts of the manor that he knew they would find interesting.**

"Hey Raven, I've got the perfect room for you." Robin gestured up the hall, leading his team to an already opened set of double doors. "This is Bruce's study."

Raven saw that all the walls but one were lined with full bookshelves that spanned from floor to ceiling. Like the rest of the manor, the ceiling was quite high, so there were ladders perched against the shelves to make the highest ones accessible. Raven smiled to herself as she wandered over to read some of the titles.

The rest of the room contained a wide desk and a tall grandfather clock. The clock was nestled between two bookcases. Morning light streamed into the elongated room courtesy of its windows. They ran from floor to ceiling like the bookcases and comprised an entire wall. The lowest windows were tilted open to allow fresh air into the room.

"Well we'll know where to find Raven while we're here," Beast Boy said, glancing around the boring room. "Do you have a Gamestation or a like a game room in this joint?"

Robin grinned. "Yeah. Well—I don't have a Gamestation here, but there is a game room. We could get a Gamestation hooked up though if you guys want one I guess. I'll ask Alfred to order one."

Leading them from the study, Robin paused to ask, "Hey Raven, are you coming?"

She had already pulled a book free and was reading the first page. "No. I'll explore on my own later."

"Okay. But don't go into the Batcave. Even your soul-self might set something off," Robin said. He really didn't want Batman waking up to a Batcave alarm.

She gave him a sarcastic salute without looking up from the book. Raven had already seen the Batcave in Robin's mind. She was curious to go see it herself, knowing exactly where it was and how to reach it even without her powers, but she also knew it was better to respect Batman's wishes. After all, she was always demanding that the Titans respect her own boundaries.

Leaving Raven behind in the study, the rest of the team followed Robin through a series of hallways. He showed them a game room that contained a pool table, an old pinball machine he had pretty fond memories of playing, and an air hockey table. Across from that room was a fully equipped gym. It had weights and benches, balance beams, half of a basketball court, punching bags, a wall full of practice weapons and protective gear, and other pieces of exercise equipment.

"Nice!" Cyborg cried, checking out every corner of the room. _Holy T-Car, this is where Batman probably works out. THE Batman!_

"If we can't be out saving the day at least we won't have to get flabby!" Cyborg spotted the weight sets and couldn't wait to try them out.

"Great. You can use it anytime," Robin said, meaning the gym was never off limits. He'd already warned his friends about the kitchen being Alfred Territory.

"Yeah man! Me and you are definitely going to spend some quality time in here pumpin' iron and playing b-ball," Cyborg said. "But first, I'm gonna have to beat _Garfield's_ butt in a game of air hockey over in that game room."

"Whatever! I'm going to destroy you. I'm the Air Hockey King, bro," Beast Boy said as the two raced back across the hall to do battle, leaving Starfire and Robin alone.

He took her hand and their eyes met. "Do you still want to see my room?"

* * *

 **Still holding her hand, Robin led Starfire to the east wing of the mansion where the family quarters were situated.**

"This is Bruce's room," he said quietly as they passed a door. "He's probably still asleep."

Starfire looked up at the imposing door. Like everything in the manor, it was oversized in a somewhat subtle but visual display of power and wealth.

"It is my hope that we will meet him soon," she whispered back, creeping with Robin further up the hall. It was a very short hall with only three other rooms besides the one belonging to Robin's _K'norfka_.

Robin led her through the one that led to his own room and carefully pushed the door closed behind them.

Starfire's green eyes soaked in the room and she resisted the urge to dart around. She was not yet sure how openly she could use her powers in Robin's home. The room had a high ceiling. On the left wall here was a large, concaved window with lattice panes, and the wall bumped out beneath the window to create a sitting area. A large bed was in the middle of the room. A fireplace was centered on the far wall. A low fire still burned, providing the room with a little more warmth. There was a mural on the wall and a giant portrait of two people who Starfire did not recognize as Robin's parents. A few antique dressers were on the right wall. On top of the dressers stood several framed photographs. Starfire released Robin's hand and hovered over to view them. The Boy Wonder followed.

"Your room here is most empty just like your room in our Tower," Starfire said as she scanned the pictures.

His room at the Tower _was_ pretty bare. "I guess I don't go shopping much."

Smiling, Starfire recognized a younger Alfred and Richard Grayson in one of the pictures. It was a party for Robin's Star Day. Alfred looked at risk of dropping a giant cake, and Richard was laughing. The man Starfire knew to be Bruce Wayne was also there smiling and reaching to help Alfred.

Next she noticed a picture of Richard Grayson wearing a funny looking hat and dress and holding a rolled up piece of paper. Bruce Wayne stood close beside him, and both were wearing huge smiles. Starfire picked the framed picture up.

"Robin… I mean, _Richard_ , why are you wearing such a costume? This was a special occasion?" she asked.

"It's what people usually wear when they graduate from school," Robin explained. "It's a cap and gown. You have to wear it to graduation—a ceremony that celebrates your academic accomplishments."

Starfire frowned, recalling Mad Mod's school, though Robin had assured her that Earthling schools were not like what she'd experienced.

"I graduated from high school early; not long before I moved to Jump actually," he added.

Starfire set the picture down and looked at the others crowding the dresser top. There were more pictures of Richard, Alfred, and Bruce Wayne, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the photograph of a very young Richard standing between two acrobats. She had seen a copy of this picture, like some of the others on the dresser, in Robin's briefcase.

"Your parents," she said reverently, a finger tracing the beautiful blonde woman—then the muscular man with a dark mustache. Robin's hair came from his father and his mother had the same blue eyes. Both of his parents were tall. Perhaps someday Robin would be tall like his father. The thought made Starfire smile.

Robin watched Starfire contemplate his parents and wished, not for the first time, that his parents could know how his life had turned out and all of the things he'd seen and done. He wished they could meet Starfire. They would have loved her. All of the Titans had lost parents and mentors in one way or another. It was a shared pain that Raven had once told him helped bind the Titans together.

Starfire's attention went back to the huge portrait that she'd noticed earlier. It featured a handsome man and woman. "Richard, who are they?"

"Martha and Thomas Wayne," Robin replied, following her gaze. The portrait loomed over them. "They were Bruce's parents. They were killed right in front of him by some robbers when he was a kid. It's what put him on the path to becoming Batman."

Their portrait hanging in his room had never bothered Robin. Deep down, even though he wasn't really related to them, he'd always felt a sort of ancestral attachment to them through Bruce.

"Just as you witnessed the killing of your parents at a young age," she said, taking his hand again.

Robin nodded, solemn a moment, before turning a smile to her. "I'm glad you're here. It feels right, and…"

"And?" Starfire pressed, taking his other hand.

"You, the team, us all being here together—it just makes it so clear that everything that's ever happened, good or bad, has led to me having a really great life," Robin told her. "Most of all… it's led to me meeting you, Koriand'r."

Hearing Robin say her full Tamaranean name alone was enough to make Starfire's heart leap, but to know that he was happy, and that she was a vital source of that happiness, made her heart want to explode

He blushed a little as Starfire joyously wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Unable to contain her happiness, she spun him before setting the dizzy hero on his feet.

She gripped his arms to steady him and said, "Oh Robin, I am so glad that we are here in your City of Gotham together! This holiday is going to be truly wonderful."

* * *

 **Wayne Manor was half-buried in snow, but the sun was out, and so were the Titans, having ventured outside to explore the grounds. All except Starfire and Robin wore winter uniforms beneath their holowatch illusions of snow coats and shoes. Robin wore an actual coat and the crimson toboggan Alfred had given him the previous Christmas.**

"If we work together we can defeat him," Starfire growled, crouching behind a tree. She scanned the snow and saw Beast Boy's footprints.

"He's got to be cheating," Raven muttered. "If we could use our powers, this would be over."

"I'm not cheating!" A flurry of snowballs smacked into both girls, knocking them into the snow-covered lawn.

"You guys are just too slow!" Beast Boy cried, darting behind the cover of some trees.

Snarling, the girls wiped the snow from their bodies and stalked after him.

"He's heading towards the cliffs!" Raven snapped. "You circle that way and we'll catch him!"

Starfire nodded and sprinted forth.

High above the battleground, Robin and Cyborg sat on a roof edge with their legs hanging in the air, watching the ensuing fight from their perch.

"Yo, Gar! You better watch your six, son!" Cyborg warned.

Beast Boy yelped and barley avoided the giant snowball Starfire sent flying at him. He dove behind a rocky cliff ledge.

"It appears you have cheerleaders," Raven said, appearing above his new hiding space with snow in both of her hands. She dropped it unceremoniously on Beast Boy, who managed to dodge and scamper back onto the front lawn of Wayne Manor.

Cyborg smiled, watching the girls bury Beast Boy in a two-sided brutal assault of flying snowballs. Cyborg glanced at Robin, still finding it hard to believe that the giant house they were perched on, and all the money that went with it, was connected to his friend.

"Man, Rob. You know you could be living the life, right? Dick Grayson's got it pretty sweet."

Robin turned his smirk from the snow slaughter below to Cyborg. "I am living the life. You don't seriously think I'd rather be sitting in some old manor or hanging with a bunch of stuck-up socialites while the Titans are out there taking down criminals, do you?"

Cyborg shook his head. "Nah, man. That wouldn't be you at all."

Starfire waved a mittened hand up at them and the boys returned her wave. Beast Boy seized upon her distraction and pegged the alien girl hard in the face with one of his freezing fast pitches.

She wiped the snow from her face; her eyes flashing green through the illusion of Kori. "That was most rude, Garfield Logan! Come here so that I might beat you into the ice cream!"

Beast Boy laughed nervously and held his arms up in defense. "How about we call a ceasefire and build a snowman instead, huh?"

 **Hours later, Raven snuck off to her room to meditate and Starfire followed, desiring to have "the girl time", so the boys hit the gym's half-basketball court that Robin had showed them earlier.**

"Nuh-uh, boy," Cyborg taunted, whipping past Robin and dribbling towards victory, "you ain't getting' this ball back!"

"Nope—I am!" Beast Boy swiped the basketball and dove with it between Cyborg's legs to escape. He rolled back onto his feet and took a long shot, but the ball bounced hard off the hoop and went out of bounds.

"I got it!" Robin called, racing after the ball.

Cyborg grabbed and lifted Robin by the back of his shirt. "No you don't!"

Beast Boy laughed, darting past them both again to reclaim the ball. He then abruptly skidded to a halt along with Cyborg (who set Robin back down).

To their surprise, Alfred had caught the ball. The butler even spun it on one finger before tossing it back to Robin. As the boys stared at him in open shock, he said, "Good evening, young sirs. Master Richard, I'm afraid you're needed downstairs. I'm sure it won't take long."

"Downstairs?" Cyborg looked at Beast Boy and shared a grin. "Does that mean what I think it means? Man I _knew_ it was underneath this place!"

"Are you sure we can't come?" Beast Boy asked, but Robin was already halfway out the door.

"Sorry, guys. I'll be back soon!" their leader promised, tossing the ball to Cyborg with one hand as he disappeared into the hall.

Alfred moved to block the doorway the moment Robin had passed, just in case the other teens let their curiosity get the best of them and tried to follow. "Is there anything you two require? Hungry perhaps?"

"That depends. Do you have more tofu?" Beast Boy asked, trying not to sulk.

"Of course. Master Richard informed me of your vegetarian lifestyle," Alfred said. He stepped out in the hall, knowing he'd provided Robin with plenty of time to slip through the grandfather clock in the study.

"How about a snack before dinner?"

Cyborg's stomach grumbled on cue and he let the basketball go. _Well, maybe we'll get to check out the cave next time Rob gets 'summoned'. No use being a baby about it._

* * *

 **The Batcave was of course dark, cold, and damp. No longer wearing a coat, Robin shivered as he descending the long, narrow stone-carved steps into the Dark Knight's lair.**

Although Robin preferred to think of it as a nontraditional office.

Batman was just jumping out of the Batmobile when Robin crossed the threshold. At the sight of Robin, or rather, Dick Grayson, Batman pushed the cowl back from his head.

"Dick, it's good to see you."

Robin smiled. "You, too. Thanks again for letting the Titans spend the holidays with us. So far it's been a blast to have them here."

Bruce crossed over to the computer console and pulled a small disc from his utility belt. He slid the disc into a slot. "That's good. I noticed a rather odd snowman in the front yard."

Scratching the back of his head, Robin admitted, "It's supposed to be a villain named Mumbo Jumbo. He's what would happen if the Mad Hatter and the Joker had a baby together."

Bruce lifted an eyebrow at the thought.

"Alfred seems impressed with them," Bruce then added, referring to the Titans.

Robin's smile grew, and optimistic, he gestured towards the computer's disc drive. "So what's up? What's that?"

"A disc I managed to salvage from one of Scarecrow's secret labs. The building was caving in from a fire his thugs set, so it was impossible to recover much else," Bruce explained.

"I thought your cape looked kinda singed," Robin joked. "Has Scarecrow been really active in Gotham lately? I haven't seen anything in the national news."

"No. He's shifted gears over the past year—producing and selling his drugs instead of unleashing them himself," Bruce said; his face grim.

Tapping commands into his computer, he continued. "You were right to suspect him as the creator of that 'dust' found in Deathstroke's mask fragment. Fortunately, it hasn't made an appearance on the streets yet, but I've found enough in Scarecrow's labs to know he's building a substantial supply. Whether he's making it for himself or for someone else remains to be seen."

Robin suppressed a shudder at the thought of other people being exposed to anything like the dust he'd inhaled from Slade's helmet. It had nearly killed him.

"Do you have a way to reverse its effects yet—I mean on a big scale, if we need to?" Robin asked with a frown.

"Lucius has been working hard on it. He's managed to create an airborne, easily dispersable version of the flushing chemical your team used to remove the reagent from your system. He's only been able to make a small amount—not remotely close to the numbers we'd need if all of Gotham happened to be attacked."

"If it's the same 'dust' as what was used on me, then it'll eventually work its way out of a victim's system anyway," Robin said. "Cyborg said I could've outlasted its effects, especially once I figured out that the dust only worked for some reason in the dark. But he tried out the flushing chemical because he had a hunch that it might help my system recover more quickly; and he was right."

"From what you described, it's too dangerous to allow Scarecrow's dust to run its course. Even if it's still as simple as turning on the lights to negate the effects, we can't count on others figuring that out, or on the power grid to stay on," Bruce replied.

"Has Lucius figured out how the dust works yet? I mean, how it triggers and how light affects it?" Robin asked. He watched an series of numbers and letters spill down the computer's screens.

Bruce scowled at the encryption and began tackling it; trying out different decoding programs already installed in his console. "All we know for sure is that the dust is a chemical reagent that infiltrates the victim's central nervous system. The dust sample you sent me after you were attacked seems to be a prototype, or at least a modified version, of the dust Scarecrow is stockpiling."

Robin frowned again. "What do you mean?"

"It was probably custom made just for you," Bruce said as the first cipher was confirmed correct on screen; a sign that one of his programs was capable of unraveling the tangle of numbers and letters protecting Scarecrow's data.

"Which is also why," he continued, "short of trying the current dust out on some poor soul, we can't be sure that Scarecrow's new dust would run its course or cease its attack in the presence of light like the dust used on you."

"You think Slade built in ways for me to escape? But that means... It was another test!" Suspicious, Robin turned his scowl on Bruce. "How long ago did Batman figure it out?"

"I assumed it from the beginning," Bruce admitted and turned to face his angry ward. "But I wasn't certain until Lucius told me about the subtle differences between your sample of the dust and the dust that we're finding in Gotham."

"I should have figured it out. It was on Slade's mask the entire time when we brought it home as evidence, and yet nobody was affected," Robin said; his hands balling into fists. "I couldn't figure out why it didn't affect one or all of us when we first picked it up at Slade's lair, and it seemed _awfully_ coincidental that I was the one who somehow triggered it in the evidence room... and still I didn't put the pieces together."

"Triggering is the right word. Lucius found the difference between your sample and the rest of the dust," Bruce told him. "Your dust contained nanoscopic machines that controlled the dust's effects so that the drug only worked in darkness. What's more, the nanoscopic machines were actually working to reduce the dust in your system over time. Lucius figured you had to survive approximately seventy-two hours to pass Deathstroke's 'test'."

Robin's scowl only deepened. "When he forced me to be his apprentice, I almost managed to break his helmet during one of our fights. He told me I'd regret doing it."

"He probably had the dust set up as a countermeasure in case you ever did manage to unmask him," Bruce said, turning back to the computer. "Then later, when he realized you had kept his mask, he decided to use the failsafe as a new game; as another test."

"Or for his own sick amusement," Robin grumbled; arms crossing.

Bruce preferred the dust incident be exactly that; an attack borne purely out of a sadistic need for revenge or amusement. _The alternative can only mean that Deathstroke, or Slade as the Titans know him, is still considering this apprentice business as a viable option._

Another two ciphers locked. Six were left. The numbers and letters scrolled by almost too fast to be seen as Batman's program cracked the Scarecrow's code.

"I know we've discussed it before," Bruce said, standing up and facing his ward, "and that it's not something you want to think about, but Lucius and I still aren't sure how you were able to inflict the level of damage on yourself that you described."

Robin glanced away; his crossed arms tightening against himself. "I've never understood it either. The Titans said it looked like I was fighting an invisible enemy—like I was being punched and thrown around."

Bruce held him by the shoulders and Robin looked up, frowning again as he spoke.

"It felt real. I remember him grabbing me by the ankles, dragging me across the ground—I remember exactly what it felt like to be thrown down the stairs, and him kicking me in the stomach, and it just wouldn't _stop_. He kept coming even when I practically..."

Robin couldn't look away from Bruce's eyes despite the shame he still felt over begging Slade to stop the assault. "It felt real. But it _wasn't_ real. Which means I imagined it. I imagined all the things he said about me. About my friends. I imagined myself losing horribly to Slade."

Bruce said, "But you didn't lose. You beat him."

Robin's eyes and head fell, and he suddenly felt small and useless under the hands still holding him by the shoulders. "Not alone. I could never beat him by myself. Or outsmart him. He's always ten steps ahead."

"From what I've seen, your team, the Titans, have always been able to outplay and outsmart everyone you've come up against, including Deathstroke," Bruce said, running an affectionate hand through the bowed head's dark hair. He lightly tilted the downturned face back up where he could see his ward's eyes before letting go of the boy's chin.

"But I can't beat him by myself," Robin said. "And if I can't beat _him_ …"

"Robin," Bruce said, ignoring the fact that it was Dick Grayson standing before him, "you don't have to beat him by yourself to prove anything. There will always be villains that are stronger, smarter, and more powerful. It's not our mission to defeat them alone. It's our mission to protect the innocent and to lock the bad guys away. I don't see my reliance on Alfred or on you as a weakness, Robin. You should never see help from the Titans or anyone else as a sign of weakness on your part either. We don't always get to win, but when we do, we should take the victories for what they are."

Smiling down at the boy, Bruce added, "You have allies who are not only loyal and competent, but who care about you as a person. Don't make the mistake of taking them for granted."

Robin's eyes widened.

"I know I won't be making it again," Bruce promised, and Robin rewarded him with a brilliant smile. It was a smile that Bruce had deeply missed.

Robin grinned from ear to ear. Not only had Bruce said practically everything Robin needed to hear, but Bruce had also effectively called both Robin _and_ the other Titans _loyal_ and _competent_.

 _That's two for two!_ Robin thought. His team was officially Alfred _and_ Batman-approved. Could the day get any more awesome?

"Thanks, Bruce. You're right," Robin said, feeling lighter than before.

They both glanced at the computer as two more ciphers locked in. Bruce smiled and released his ward's shoulder. "It'll probably be done deciphering the encryption within the hour."

"Great! That leaves time for dinner. You can meet my team in person!"

"I was planning to go out again—"

Robin frowned.

"—after dinner," Bruce finished, removing the cowl and cape. "Care to come with me? I might need a second pair of hands and eyes."

 _Yes!_ Robin thought. He hadn't been out in Gotham as Robin ever since that night the Joker had shot him in the right shoulder, which had led to Bruce losing it and firing him—but now it seemed like Bruce finally wanted to be partners again.

But then… Robin sulked a little. "I want to come, but I don't think it'd be fair. My team doesn't like having to put hero work on hold while they're here. It might not go over well if I get to play by different rules."

"Spoken like a good leader," Bruce agreed, ignoring the shocked look Robin gave him at yet another casually given compliment. "But if possible, I'd like to keep in touch. I might need you on the console."

Robin nodded. "That I can definitely do. …You know they want to see this place like crazy, right?" He gestured out towards the rest of the Batcave.

Bruce shook his head. "It's risky enough to even have them here."

"I know, but I promised I'd ask." Robin turned to head back upstairs, figuring Bruce needed time to shower off and change. At the base of the staircase, he looked over his shoulder, grinned, and asked:

"So does this mean I'm not fired anymore?"

Robin returned Bruce's Batman-scowl with a smirk and darted back up the Batcave's stairs.

* * *

 **He introduced them to Bruce even though everyone present was sure Batman already knew their identities, their strengths and weakness, and probably a list of their deepest fears.**

"And this is my girlfriend, Koriand'r," Robin said, having gone around the table. "Guys, this is Bruce Wayne."

He inwardly grinned at how his friends were sitting up perfectly straight, eyes on Bruce, with manners in full swing.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet all of you. Dick has told me a lot," Bruce greeted from the head of the table. He checked his watch. "I hate to be in a rush, but I'll need to get back to work soon. Shall we eat?"

* * *

 **Half an hour later, Bruce thanked Alfred for a delicious meal, thanked Dick's friends again for visiting, and told them to be sure to let him know if there was anything he could do to make their stay more enjoyable, before excusing himself to go "downstairs for work".**

"Dude," Beast Boy said in a hushed voice even after his host had left and the Titans were heading for the living room to watch a movie, "there's no way that guy is Batman."

Robin grinned and said, "Of course he's not. He's Bruce Wayne."

"He is not what I imagined either," Starfire admitted, "but I like him very much. He is a nice man."

"So what were you guys talking about 'downstairs'?" Cyborg asked as all of the Titans except Beast Boy piled onto the living room's furniture.

"He just wanted to know more about the dust we found in Slade's mask," Robin said, flipping the TV to the right channel for the DVD player to work.

"Why'd he want to know about that?" Beast Boy asked from the DVD cabinet. He was busy searching through Bruce's extensive collection for the perfect film for their second night in the manor.

"Even back then, I suspected the dust may have been created by the Scarecrow, a villain here in Gotham," Robin said, adding the last part for Starfire. "Fear toxins are his specialty. They make people see the things they're most afraid of. I figured maybe Slade got it from him to leave as a trap if anyone ever recovered his helmet."

"So you believe you saw Slade only because he is what you fear most?" Starfire asked.

"Well, he was at the moment anyway," Robin acknowledged.

"But why is he asking you about it now?" Raven asked. "We haven't seen any sign of Slade."

"I have," Beast Boy corrected. "Even though it was a Sladebot, he was definitely the one controlling it."

 _At least she's alive I guess,_ Beast Boy thought, frowning at his last memory of Terra. _And Slade didn't seem interested in hurting her._

He really hoped Terra stayed off of Slade's radar. Robin had told him that her 'memory loss' was probably the only thing keeping Slade from seeking revenge, even if only for the present.

"Scarecrow's been making a lot of the dust," Robin explained. "We don't know if he plans on selling it or using it to mount his own attack. Batman has a friend who's working on figuring the stuff out. He's been taking what you used to help me, Cy, and making a sort of antidote to counteract the dust's effects."

"Cool," Cyborg said with a grin.

"Batman said we don't have nearly enough ready to counteract the amount of dust Scarecrow's already made though," Robin said. "It'd be really bad if the dust got released in any quantity, but if a whole neighborhood or even the whole city were attacked…"

Robin hesitated and added, "He asked me to come with him tonight, but I didn't think it'd be fair to the rest of the team. ...But, would you guys mind if I'm at least downstairs? He asked if I could stay in touch. I can talk to him and track his movements in the city from down there. Of course... I'd have to go down there alone though."

The team was quiet, and then Cyborg said, "If Batman's asking you for backup, then you should probably go with him."

Cyborg shared a look with the rest of the team to make sure he spoke for everyone.

Robin smiled at his friend and stood up from the sofa. "It won't be like this every night. …Are you sure you all don't mind?"

"We'll be fine," Raven assured. "Be safe. Come back in one piece."

"Yes, I will be most worried until you return, so return to us swiftly please," Starfire added, trying to smile.

"And don't forget to ask if I can have Batman's autograph!" Beast Boy grinned, despite how badly he wanted to go out on patrol, too.

Robin nodded. "Thanks, Titans! I'll see you soon."

* * *

 **Not terribly long after, Alfred cleared his throat loud enough to garner the moping youths' attention. The remaining Titans looked over the back of the sofa towards him. They were surprised when Alfred simply gave a nod towards the enormous windows he stood beside.**

"You might want to see this. It's quite a sight," the butler told them.

The four Titans glanced at each other briefly before racing to join Alfred.

From the window, they watched as the Batmobile emerged seemingly from the cliff side. The sleek vehicle sped onto the main, zigzagging road that had brought the Titans to Wayne Manor and flew towards the distant lights of Gotham. Seconds later, the Titans saw Robin, fully winter-costumed and on a motorcycle, zoom after the Dark Knight's car.

"That was so cool!" Beast Boy said, referring to the Batmobile. "Could you imagine riding in that thing?"

"Riding in it?" Cyborg laughed. "Imagine driving it!"

Alfred's eyes widened at the mere thought.

"But why was Robin not riding with his _K'norfka_?" Starfire asked, her worried green eyes turning to the butler. Her mind could not help but churn with all of Robin's dark warnings about Gotham City.

"There must be a need," Alfred told her. "Don't worry, whatever it is that they are up to, there is a plan in place, and I feel I must assure you, Ms. Koriand'r, that Robin's safety is always at the heart of Batman's plans."

* * *

 **1)** Beast Boy's holowatch appearance is straight from _Young Justice_. The holowatch comes from _X-Men: Evolution._ Wayne Manor, Gotham, Earl/Marva Cooper, Bruce/Batman, Maggie, and Alfred are taken from _Batman: The Animated Series._


	3. Chase

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. D:

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Three: Chase**

* * *

The Batmobile cut through the heart of the city.

 **Robin shadowed on his motorcycle; leaning forward to keep up the pace Batman had set. Nostalgia gnawed at the Titan as he zoomed through the familiar, gritty streets of Gotham and past the endless rows of cast-iron buildings so tall they seemed to reach the stars.**

 _Based on what he recovered from that data disc, Batman's almost certain we'll find Scarecrow lurking in the Diamond District,_ Robin thought to himself. _If anything, he's definitely up to something there. Too many references were made to that mansion. ...Isolated. ...Abandoned. It's a textbook creepy lair._

A column of light pierced the night sky; casting the silhouette of a giant bat against the clouds. The Batmobile made the next left turn and circled the block to speed towards Old Gotham's interior. Given no directions to do otherwise, Robin followed suit on his bike.

* * *

 **Batman made his footsteps obvious so that the police commissioner would notice the two vigilantes that had joined him on the rooftop of Gotham's main police headquarters.**

Jim Gordon turned. Surprise lit his face when he noticed the Boy Wonder walking a half-step behind Batman.

"Robin! Haven't seen you in these parts for quite a while," Gordon said, flipping the Bat Signal off. "I have to admit that when you first stopped showing up I'd feared the worst, but then I saw your name pop up in the national news cycle again. Jump City, huh?"

Robin smirked. "You should come visit sometime, Commissioner. The beaches are great."

Gordon returned a grim smile and shook his head. "It's impossible to take a vacation from this job. Maybe when I retire."

A skeptical eyebrow rose beneath Robin's mask. _Yeah, right._ _Like that'll ever happen._

"But back to business," Gordon said, looking to Batman. "We've got six folks in the hospital, all brought in acting crazy; swearing up and down they're being attacked by something nobody else can see. Sounds to me an awful lot like that 'Scare Dust' you warned us about. Unfortunately, so far there's not much we can do. Turning the lights on like you suggested didn't help. All the victims so far have been transferred to City Hospital's quarantine floor. I just got a report that they've all been strapped down for their own protection. Whatever that stuff does, it's getting worse with time."

"They should make them sleep," Robin said with a deep frown. "The illusions will still attack even when the victims are restrained."

"Meaning they're still being tortured, only we've made them feel more helpless to stop it," Gordon realized, sighing. "I'll make the call right away. Have you had any luck figuring out how to stop this stuff?" he asked Batman.

"We're working on it," Batman assured. "I'll drop by City Hospital later tonight and see how many victims I can help with the antitoxin I'm carrying. Robin and I are going to check out a location where we think Scarecrow might be stockpiling large quantities of the Scare Dust. We need to hold on to the antidote for now just in case one of us gets infected."

Gordon nodded, turning his eyes out towards the city.

It was always one crisis after another. If you locked up one lunatic—two more popped up to take their place, and if they went down, five more. It never ended.

But if the Batman went down…

 _The city would fall apart_ , Gordon told himself. _Even if the kid came back full time, I doubt he's ready to handle Gotham alone… Crooks grow here like weeds. I don't know what it took to grow a Batman. I just hope the one we've got is some kind of immortal alien. Otherwise… this city…_

Gordon didn't bother turning around to wish the vigilantes good luck. He knew they'd disappeared the moment his back had turned. Instead, the commissioner stuffed his hands into his pockets and sighed.

"Be safe, you two," he told the night.

* * *

 **The lavish Diamond District was quiet. Its stately mansions, all protected by the latest in home security, were dark. Its well-lit streets were empty except for the occasional courtesy officer and dog on patrol.**

Batman left his car hidden in an alley outside the district's high gates, which were always closed at sundown to further protect Gotham's wealthiest citizens. Careful not to alert the gate operator, Batman scaled a towering stone wall and made his way east towards the oldest, least populated section of the district. He grappled and glided his way past the grand drives and elegant neighborhoods until they grew further and further apart and stopped altogether. Batman located and followed a solitary road that ran through nearly two acres of thickly overgrown forest.

When Bruce was young, he'd attended a party at the mansion where Scarecrow had now apparently set up shop. In his memory, Bruce saw the woods green and well-manicured as they'd appeared from his car window that summer afternoon. His mother had commented on how nice it must be to live in a place surrounded by nature.

Batman was sure to keep the road within sight and an eye out for security cameras as he crept along the snowy tree line towards the mansion he knew lay ahead.

He found the dilapidated building to be a sad echo of the mansion he recalled visiting as a young boy. The massive fountain in the front yard was broken and covered in lumps of kudzu that peaked out from beneath the fallen snow. The building itself was sagging under the weight of age and snowfall. Its walls were painted with obscene graffiti. Bruce wondered briefly why no one had yet bothered to buy the property and rebuild upon the land.

There were only faint telltale signs of light coming from within the mansion. Through his binoculars, Batman saw that the windows on all four stories were boarded shut. Two armed guards lurked in the shadows of the building's wide front porch. There were no cameras that he could see.

Sneaking to the back of the mansion, Batman found several parked cars and two more armed guards positioned on the third floor rear balcony. There was a good twenty feet of backyard between the tree line and the mansion's backdoors. There were no side entrances to the building except for the sealed second and third story windows. From the height of the roof, he assumed there was a rather large attic.

 _He's found himself a nicely secluded spot, but the fact that he's set up a lair fenced in with Gotham's elite shows a lot of boldness… or something else. It can't bode well,_ the Dark Knight thought to himself.

"Robin," he half-whispered to the communicator built into his left gauntlet.

" _I'm here. I can see you,"_ the Titan replied as his blue and somewhat hazy image appeared on the tiny screen. _"Don't worry. I won't let them see me."_

"Do what you can without jeopardizing yourself. I'm going inside. Stay out here and be ready."

* * *

 **Robin watched his mentor disappear back into the shadows. Minutes later, he saw a dark shape moving across the roof and took that as his own cue to move.**

The Titan dropped down from the tree he'd taken position in; careful to make his landing soft even though he knew the snow would help. Robin landed in a crouch and shivered despite his hooded red jacket and the thermal layer built into the costume he'd worn that night.

He'd already assessed the situation while waiting on Batman to leave the Batmobile in a safe place and catch up while he'd scouted ahead. There were six black cars in total parked in the mansion's backyard. All of the vehicles were in full view of the two guards prowling the third floor balcony. Fortunately, the sky was cloudy and the trees were claustrophobic enough that much of the yard was cast in shadow. Robin did note, however, that a small manual search light was rigged to the corner of the balcony.

 _If I stay quiet they won't have a reason to turn it on,_ he assured himself.

He frowned at the white snow coating the backyard, disturbed only by tire tread marks. _Even with the shadows they might see me if I move too fast. I can only hope they don't notice my footprints. There seem to be older sets that I can walk on closer to the cars. Good thing it hasn't snowed again._

Robin glanced at the guards and the rifles they carried one more time before leaving the safety of the woods. He kept crouched low to the ground as he crept across the snow towards his first target.

Robin slipped under the car and tagged it with a tracer. He then rolled over to the next car, tagged it, and moved to do a third vehicle the same way. His hood fell back as he rolled between the cars and Robin grimaced as snow caked his hair. Once under the third car Robin quickly ruffled the snow from his hair and tugged the hood back over his scalp and stinging ears. He then pressed one of the tiny bat-shaped tracers to the bottom of the car.

Robin flipped over to his hands and knees, holding as much of himself off the cold ground as possible as he looked to the last three vehicles he needed to tag. They wouldn't be so easy. They were parked right beside the mansion and a good five feet or so from his current position. He was as close as possible to them, but also directly in front of the third floor balcony. If either of the guards happened to look down once the Titan was out in the open they'd probably shoot first and interrogate after.

 _Maybe we should invest in camo capes,_ Robin thought. A white cape would've been perfect. _Or if Raven was here, she could just use her powers to overwhelm and knock those two guys out._ _And Beast Boy could've transformed and safely scouted out the building for Batman. Cy and Star could have—_

Robin shook his head. There was no point in thinking up strategies that involved people who weren't actually there. He took a deep breath and got positioned to make a go for the remaining cars.

" _Did you hear that?"_

Robin froze with one gloved hand out in the open. He slowly drew it back in.

" _It came from the hall. You check it,"_ the guard said, his voice so low this time that Robin strained to hear.

The Titan edged his way out from under the car's rear end; the side furthest away from the balcony. He crouched and peeked over the trunk so he could see the guards' position again. One had entered the building. The other wasn't facing the yard. Robin seized the opportunity and crept across the snow. His foot hit a hidden stick. Its snap split the night air.

" _Hey!"_

Robin dove and slid feet first under his target car. He laid flat against the snow, turning his face to see that the manual search light's beam had in fact appeared. It scanned the yard in haphazard patterns.

 _He didn't see me._ The Titan sighed in relief and reached for another tracer in his utility belt.

" _Is someone there? You might as well show yourself!"_ the guard ordered, and Robin noted more anxiety than anger in the man's voice.

In less than a minute the beam's search slowed down into a methodical tracing of the tree line and the snow surrounding the vehicles. Then there was a muffled gasp, and the light switched off.

" _Are you all right?"_ Batman asked quietly.

"Yeah. They suddenly got paranoid," Robin whispered to his communicator. Knowing his mentor was on the balcony, Robin crawled to finish tagging the other two cars.

" _They heard me. I want you to head back to the district's main gates."_

Already done, Robin remained under the last car, scanning for any more guards between him and the tree line. "Found anything yet?"

" _Lots of Scarecrow's crew and a few cameras. I don't think they're keeping or making the dust here. This feels more like a home base. Much of the building is rigged with C-4, probably as a last resort."_

"Or the whole place could be a trap. It would take me ten minutes to get back here even on my bike. Maybe I should stay close by," Robin said, creeping out from under the car. He glanced up at the balcony but could not see Batman.

" _I'll be fine."_

Robin nodded down at the picture on his communicator. "Right. I'm heading back then. Be safe and keep me posted."

* * *

 **Inside the mansion, Batman had left a trail of unconscious, tied up criminals as he'd navigated from the attic and through the third floor. The second floor was only a chore of evading cameras. Scarecrow's voice began echoing through the mansion and Batman followed the sound until he came upon the first floor ballroom. He accessed it through a large ventilation duct.**

Batman crawled through the thick cobwebs and layers of dirt until he reached the ballroom. Through a decorative grate in the wall, he watched the room's business.

Around thirty criminals, armed with a wide assortment of weapons, stood around the ballroom. Tents, sleeping bags, and makeshift stoves filled every corner of the once elegant ballroom. A grand chandelier, long since crashed to the floor, had been refashioned into a throne-like chair that set upon what had formerly been the room's bandstand.

 **Scarecrow was not in the chair.**

He was projected on a large white sheet hanging on the wall above the throne. All of the men in the room gave Scarecrow their rapt attention.

"— _playground of exquisite violence, darkness, and fear. Wear the masks I will provide and you'll be free to do whatever your hearts desire as the people of Gotham tear themselves and their own dear ones apart. Then this story of a city that always endures—that always sidesteps its fate—will end at long last!"_

The room erupted in cheers, but a voice suddenly overrode them, calling out, _"—Up there! It's the Bat!"_

Batman withdrew further into the duct, but it was clear he'd been spotted by an observant criminal. Angry yells and threats filled the room.

Over them, Scarecrow, who apparently was speaking live, said: _"It appears you've allowed an infestation. I'm afraid that means our timetable must change. You miscreants have less than one minute to vacate that building, and less than one hour to rendezvous at Distribution to pick up a mask. You really don't want to be in Gotham tonight without one…"_

Batman heard men screaming and fighting to escape the ballroom all at once. Knowing the majority of them were beyond saving, the hero fled the scene, reemerging from the short ventilation shaft and running for a window.

The C-4 placed throughout the mansion emitted a high-pitched whine just as Batman dove through one of the boarded up windows. The wood splintered apart as his body crashed through. Batman tucked in midair and managed to hit the ground safely, rolling to a kneel. Immediately he dodged as four cars rounded the house and sped towards the road; apparently some of Scarecrow's crew escaped, too.

 _Good,_ the Dark Knight thought as the building exploded. Batman's back slammed into the snow-covered ground. A tower of fire rolled into the sky. Debris rained down. The hero tried to move, but his arms and legs felt far too heavy.

* * *

 **When the ringing in his ears finally stopped, Batman pushed fiery debris off of his chest and quickly got to his feet, finding refuge in the trees. He almost tripped on a thick fallen tree branch, but to his disgust, Batman realized the limb was in fact the blown apart remains of a human being.**

" _Batman! Answer me!"_

"I'm all right," Batman said, opening his communicator's screen.

" _You're alive! What happened? I could see that explosion from here. Did you catch Scarecrow?"_ The boy was wearing his helmet and Batman recognized Gotham's skyline flying past in the background.

"Robin, where are you?"

" _Following the tracer signals,"_ the Titan answered. _"I just saw some cars bust through the district's main gates. It totally wrecked the front end of that first car! We're heading north on the bridge towards Old Gotham. There are four of them. Do you want me to keep following?"_

"Go ahead, but don't engage them. I'll be right behind you. Be careful. Scarecrow is definitely planning an attack, and it sounds ugly."

Knowing from Robin that the front gates were down, Batman pressed another command into his gauntlet; summoning the Batmobile.

 **Once the Batmobile reached him, Batman leapt inside and immediately activated its tracking system. A flashing red dot represented Robin's motorcycle. From the direction it was heading, Batman figured Scarecrow's criminals were making a beeline for Crime Alley.**

* * *

Robin chased the four black cars into North Gotham. As they passed the Monarch Theatre, the lead car, still smoking from its gate-crashing, took a sharp turn too hard and swerved right into a light pole. The other three cars dodged the crashing poll and left their wrecked friends behind. Four men spilled out before a small explosion finished the car off.

At that same moment, the movie theatre released a flow of late-night patrons. Some of the people rushed to help; most gawked. The criminals didn't waste time seizing the opportunity. One fired his gun into the air while another snatched a would-be rescuer—demanding the poor guy's keys. Chaos erupted and most of the theatre's patrons fled. Those who didn't cowered as the four criminals waved their guns around.

Having seen it all, Robin barreled his motorcycle right through two of the henchmen, whipping out his bo staff to take down a third.

The guy with a hostage cried, "Stop! Or I'll blow this guy's brains out!"

But Robin had already twisted the bike around and was speeding towards him. Panicking, the criminal released his captive so he could better aim his weapon, but it was too late. Robin's staff collided with the gunman like a baseball bat.

There was a shot from his left. Pain sliced his upper arm and Robin glared over his shoulder. Two of the men were still conscious and had gotten back up. The Titan flipped off of his bike, knowing it would come to a safe stop in autopilot, and dodged a spray of bullets as he ran zigzags back to the assailants. Robin whacked one of them into the movie theatre's ticket window with his bo staff and quickly spun to kick the other in the face. The man stumbled backwards and Robin punched him twice before kicking the gun from his hand. The hero dropped low; swinging his leg around to swipe the man off his feet. The criminal cried out and hit the pavement hard.

Robin took some zip ties from his utility belt and quickly made sure the guy would have a hard time getting up once he came back around. He did the same to the other two criminals, but when approached the ticket window, he found only blood and broken glass. A harsh blow to his side sent Robin reeling into the remaining bystanders. He sat up amidst their worried faces and hands.

"Are you okay, kid?" a blond woman kneeling beside him asked.

Robin held his head as she and an older man pulled him back to his feet.

"You should all get out of here," Robin warned, willing his dizziness away. _What did he hit me with? Good thing I'm still wearing my helmet._

He saw the last henchman running to reclaim one of the guns still lying in the street. A length of steel clattered to the ground as the criminal dropped it in favor of the firearm.

"Get out of here, now!" Robin told the seven or so remaining bystanders as he stepped protectively in front of them and pulled two flash discs from his utility belt. He flung both and they hit the ground right in front of the Scarecrow's henchman, blinding him a few seconds.

"Are you kidding?" an older man with an eye patch asked. "This is more exciting than a movie."

Robin flashed a withering scowl at the old man. It was the same one who had helped him stand up.

The dazed gunman stumbled forward with his weapon pointed out in warning. Disoriented, he yelled, "S-Stay back or I'll shoot!"

"It's not up for debate!" Robin growled at the bystanders. "Go back into the theatre until the police arrive!"

"Behind you!" the older man warned, and Robin twisted on his feet just in time to see the gunman charging.

"I'm gonna burst open your skull, brat!" the henchman yelled.

Robin ran forwards, afraid to dodge with so many civilians standing behind him. He quickly flung a birdarang and knocked the gun from the man's grasp. He then tackled his would-be killer to the ground, and with a brutal punch, ended it.

Robin rolled his masked eyes as the civilians who were _still_ standing in the street cheered. He shook his head and zip tied the last guy. After recovering the guns and handing them over to a terrified ticket-taker to give to the police, Robin started dragging the criminals together into a pile. He had just finished when Batman called.

"Four of them crashed into the movie theater. They engaged first," Robin said defensively.

" _Are they down?"_

Police sirens filled the night and Robin could see red and blue flashes coming up the street. "Yes. I'm leaving them as Christmas presents for the GCPD."

" _How thoughtful of you."_

Robin grinned and leapt back onto his motorcycle. According to the tracer signals, the rest of Scarecrow's crew had cut through Crime Alley and come to a stop at the North Gotham Docks.

* * *

 **He parked his bike and found the tagged cars next to a large warehouse that was bumped up against the river docks. Robin snuck around and grappled to the rooftop of the warehouse. He crouched low and crept to the edge of the roof, sticking to the shadows.**

With his binoculars, Robin saw a chain of seven men leaving the warehouse carrying large boxes. He tracked their progress as they transported the sealed packages onto the adjoining docks and over to where four speedboats awaited. There, he watched them hand the boxes off to other crewmen who were already on the boats. Robin zoomed in on the boats. Two of them appeared at full capacity.

He heard a familiar voice. Robin crept across the roof towards the front of he building. He focused his binoculars on the warehouse's front doors where Scarecrow now stood surveying his men's progress. He wore the same hooded burgundy getup that Robin had last seen him in. Scarecrow had added elements of a gas mask to his creepy sackcloth mask and what looked like a hangman's noose around his neck.

 _That makes no offensive or defensive sense,_ Robin thought, frowning.

"Hurry up! If Batman knew about the mansion then he could know about this site as well," Scarecrow barked at the line of men as they ducked past him and reentered the warehouse. The villain followed after them.

Robin looked up from his binoculars as two of the speedboats took off across the dark water. They headed in opposite directions.

 _That can't be good._ The Titan's frown deepened. He debated going after one of the boats, but decided it was better to concentrate on stopping the rest.

"They're probably moving the dust," Batman said from directly behind Robin.

Robin collapsed his binoculars and put them away. He really hoped Batman hadn't seen his surprised flinch. _I'm lucky I didn't fall off the roof! I didn't hear him land OR creep up on me. Either he's gotten even better or I've gotten rusty…_ "Did you see the two that already left?"

"Yes. I asked Alfred to monitor their activity as much as possible using our link to the city's waterway security system," Batman said. "I've alerted Gordon. He's getting a unit together and should be here soon. I'm going after Scarecrow. See if you can stop the rest of those boats from leaving."

"He's inside," Robin said. "I'm not sure how many guys are in there with him."

"Most of Scarecrow's crew were probably killed when he remotely destroyed that mansion," Batman told the younger hero. They watched as more men carrying boxes left the warehouse and headed for the docks.

"Time to move," Batman said.

* * *

 **Robin stood on the edge of the roof. He heard Batman grappling away and knew intuitively that Batman's plan was to find a way into the warehouse while the Boy Wonder served as a distraction to the henchmen unlucky enough to be outside.**

Robin took a few steps back and ran, leaping from the roof. He flung six ice discs at the men crossing the docks. They cried out—but before they could drop their cargo, both the men and the boxes were encased in ice. Robin landed on the dock beside his new ice sculptures and raced to the boats. Two of Scarecrow's crew were on each boat, and they were scrambling for their guns after hearing the dock's commotion. Robin tossed smoke caps into each of the boats. Smoke instantly filled the air, blinding the men and choking their lungs. Holding his breath, Robin used his bo staff as a poll and vaulted into the closest boat; his feet connecting with a man's chest. The guy went flailing into the water. Seconds later his shipmate joined him.

The faint wail of police sirens carried on the winter air and the smoke was just beginning to clear as Robin flipped onto the dock and over into the other boat. He whacked the end of his bo staff into one man's face, knocking him unconscious, and quickly spun around to strike the gun from the hands of the other henchman.

The Titan heard gunfire coming from the warehouse and paused. One of the criminals started to get up and Robin punched him.

"Shh!" he hissed, listening. There was at least one gunman firing in the warehouse. _Batman will be fine_.

The sound of sloshing water drew his attention next. Robin glanced over to the other boat where two soggy, teeth-chattering criminals were heaving themselves out of the water. He flung an ice disc at them, freezing them to the boat.

 _Hope the police have some thermal blankets,_ the Boy Wonder thought without much pity. He looked down at the guy he'd punched seconds ago.

The man held his wrists up together. "Please! I surrender! It feels below zero already out here! Don't freeze me!"

* * *

 **Batman observed the room from one of the steel beams that composed the rafters.**

The interior of the warehouse was one large room. It was filled with equipment that had been used to manufacture large canisters of what Batman recognized as the Scare Dust. It appeared production had been halted in favor of packing the already completed canisters into boxes for shipment. Six of Scarecrow's crew were attaching numerous packs of C-4 with detonator caps throughout the warehouse intent on destroying all evidence of their boss's operations. The villain himself was standing at a worktable near a wall full of stored empty canisters. He appeared to be making adjustments to his fear gauntlet—a modified glove with embedded tubes of different toxins on the forearm. Smaller tubules fed the toxins into four sinister needles that were attached to four of the villain's fingers.

Two of the men came dangerously close to Batman's position. He soundlessly dropped behind them and crept along the wall. When the men stepped out of the rest of the room's view (blocked by two large racks of empty canisters), the Dark Knight took them down simultaneously. He caught their slumping bodies and left them in the deep shadows of the warehouse. Batman then looked through the rows of canisters and saw the Scarecrow slipping his fear gauntlet snugly back into place. There were still four henchmen in the room.

"Take the last of it," the villain ordered, gesturing at a final set of boxes. "It will only take two already positioned canisters of my potent _Paranoia_ to bring every doctor—every patient—into a world of nightmares. The carnage will be breathtaking. Remember—Gotham Mercy and City Hospital. And don't forget your masks. I want you in those buildings cataloguing every fear-driven atrocity. The Devil's Hour. Don't. Be. Late."

"W-We won't," a wide-eyed henchman swore, watching the needles twitch on Scarecrow's gauntlet.

Police sirens could be heard. Scarecrow growled. "Hold them off, cretins!"

The villain ran for the exit, stumbling to a halt as the air around him was displaced and the Dark Knight landed to block his path.

Batman rose up from his crouched landing. "Going somewhere, Crane?"

A split second of fear made the villain pause. Batman's hand shot forward to take advantage and snatch him by the collar, but Scarecrow evaded, ducking under Batman's arm and twirling around to slash the hero with his fear gauntlet. The needles skidded across Batman's right side, leaving only deep scratches in the black armor. Batman slammed an elbow down into Scarecrow's back. The villain hit the floor hard, but managed to twist away from the Dark Knight's reaching hands again.

Scarecrow ran into the shadows, yelling, "Don't just watch, idiots! Shoot him!"

Torn between fleeing the encroaching police, fleeing the Batman, or facing the wrath of their boss, the remaining four henchmen looked at each other. Three of them ran for the exit. Batman threw a Batarang at the would-be escapees that transformed into a black net seconds before reaching them. The expanding net caught all three men and shrunk to bind them tightly together. They crashed and rolled across the floor.

Gunfire erupted as Batman spun to deal with the last criminal. Two bullets embedded in his chest armor, punching the Dark Knight backwards. The hero quickly fired his grapple gun and escaped to the shadowy warehouse rafters.

The gunman sprayed bullets up at the ceiling. "I'm not gonna stop, Bat, until your body falls down!"

A metallic sound hissed through the air, slicing past his fingers. The henchman cried out and juggled the gun in his hands. He turned to find his new attacker, but all he got was a face full of Robin's steel-toed shoe. Robin snatched the gun away before his next kick could send the man flying into a rack of canisters.

Blue and red flashing lights could be seen outside the warehouse's filthy windows. Robin looked up at the rafters, squinting to see the fight he heard ensuing on the steel beams. He could barely make out the shapes of Batman and Scarecrow trading blows and swipes as the two did a deadly dance in the shadows.

"Robin! Tell Gordon to stay back! The place is rigged!" Batman warned from above.

Robin glanced around and noticed the C-4 for the first time. He gasped, darting outside to follow the older hero's directions. As long as Scarecrow was inside, he knew the building and thus Batman were safe.

* * *

 **After quickly warning the police and pointing them towards the bad guys on the docks, Robin raced back into the warehouse, stumbling to a halt at the sight of Scarecrow standing by an already opened window on the other side of the giant room.**

"Where's Batman?" Robin demanded, whipping out his bo staff.

The villain looked over his shoulder to face Robin. An evil grin could be seen through the jagged mouth cut into his sackcloth mask. He held up a detonator.

"Now here's a surprise. Look who's back," the Scarecrow said as he climbed up into the window.

"Wait!" Robin stretched out a hand and took a step forward, unsure of what to do. He had no idea what had happened, where Batman was, or what to do next. His only hope was to keep Scarecrow from leaving the building.

The villain paused, still crouching in the window, and regarded the young hero for two heartbeats.

"You picked a terrible time to return to Gotham, but for what it's worth, welcome back. I suppose it's only right for Batman _and_ Robin to perish in the night... together," Scarecrow said. He pressed the button and slipped outside.

Robin heard a high pitched whine.

 _No!_

He glanced around the room. There was no sign of Batman. The whine grew higher in pitch. The hero ran, diving back out the front doors. Once outside, he scrambled to his feet and kept running across the street as the warehouse exploded, taking some of the docks with it. A piece of debris slapped Robin aside and sent him crashing along the pavement. The Titan cried out and tucked into himself, protecting his head and controlling the way his body rolled to a stop.

He sat up minutes later. Gordon and Bullock, along with other police, were standing around him.

"—good thing we pulled so far back. I just got that set of wheels," Bullock was saying.

Robin shook away the dizziness he felt. His left side and back ached. He'd been hit there twice that night; first by a steel rod and now by a chunk of the warehouse. Robin felt along his ribs and figured they were okay. He jumped to his feet, swaying as Gordon caught him in a stabilizing grip.

"Son, are you all right?" the commissioner was asking. "What happened? Where's Batman?"

Robin's masked eyes widened. He shot away from the circle of policemen, ignoring the fierce stab in his side, and ran back to the burning structure. Ash, smoke, and fire clouded the area. The walls and ceilings had collapsed

"Kid! Wait!" a policeman cried after him.

 _"Robin!"_

The Boy Wonder skidded to a stop seconds before reaching the fiery mess. He whipped around to see Batman dragging a net full of bad guys in one hand. Another one of Scarecrow's crewman was slung over his broad shoulder. Robin walked away from the building to meet the Dark Knight halfway.

Batman deposited the criminals in the snow and looked down at his ward's face, which was a mix of shock and relief.

Gordon, Bullock, and a few other policemen caught up to Robin. Gordon panted, "There you are. Was the Scarecrow in there when that place went up?"

Batman shook his head. "No. But wherever he went, he won't get far."

Robin's heart was still racing. "What happened?"

"I tagged Scarecrow with a tracer and let him think he had me down," Batman explained. He gestured at the four criminals he'd saved. "I'd already tossed them outside during my fight with Scarecrow. I was getting them a safe distance away when I realized you had gone back into the building."

"I thought you were still fighting him," Robin said.

"I thought you knew the building was about to blow."

"Yeah, with you still inside," Robin pointed out.

"Looks like you two need to dust off your communication skills," Gordon said, his tone light before his face became serious again. He asked Batman, "Any idea what Scarecrow is up to?"

"I overheard him tell his men to be in position at Gotham Mercy and City Hospital at the Devil's Hour tonight," Batman told them.

"The hospitals?" Bullock asked, alarmed. "He gonna release that hallucinogen?"

" _The Devil's Hour_ is 3AM, right?" Robin asked.

Batman nodded. "He referenced two canisters. He could've meant two at each location or one at each. We'll have to assume two per hospital for now."

"It's already half past one," Gordon said, glancing down at his watch. "There's no way we can get hospitals of that size searched or evac'd by three."

The Gotham City Fire Department rolled onto the scene.

Uncomfortable with the growing number of people around, Batman said, "We'll have to do our best. Unfortunately these two hospitals are on opposite sides of the city. I'll take City Hospital in Midtown. Robin, you head down to Mercy. We need to get there fast and find out where and how Scarecrow plans to release the dust."

"We'll join the search," Gordon said. "I'm sending people to both locations and giving the hospitals a head's up, too."

* * *

 **Robin raced on his bike to Mercy General Hospital in Burnley on the south side of Old Gotham. Inside he found the hospital already operating on lockdown. The halls were almost empty. The staff was prepping for a mass quarantine event.**

Robin saw trepidation clearly written on the faces of the nurses and other staff he encountered. He admired the fact that none of them were making a break for the doors. They were doing their jobs. It was time for him to do his. The Boy Wonder started asking the front desk, the head of security, anyone he thought useful questions, but nobody had seen anything suspicious that night or over the previous days. While he searched the building along with several GCPD members, he had some of the hospital security officers go through surveillance footage.

 **A strange sound eventually drew his attention.**

 _What's that banging noise?_ Robin pushed open the door to the hospital's Morgue and looked around.

" _Robin, Alfred checked in. He's certain those two boats carrying dust have left Bristol County. He's also sure one of them was heading across the bay,"_ Batman told him through the communicator.

Robin heard the banging again. He didn't bother opening the communicator's screen. "To Metropolis? Do you think Scarecrow is just moving the dust out of the city? ...Or was he planning all along to attack Gotham and other targets?"

" _Not sure. I asked Alfred to give Kent a call anyway."_

The Titan smirked. _Of course_ Alfred would be making the call. It was no secret that Batman had trust issues when it came to the Man of Steel. Robin figured it had more to do with the fact that when it came down to it, Superman was one of the few beings on Earth his mentor could never, _ever_ realistically beat in the heat of the moment. If it came down to it… if the Kryptonian suddenly went crazy on them or something. A moment passed and the Boy Wonder reconsidered.

 _Nah. He could take him. He probably has Kryptonite in his utility belt,_ Robin thought, shaking his head.

The Titan was glad that Batman's distrust of Superman didn't extend to all super strong, sun-chargeable aliens. Robin was sure that Batman knew everything there was to know about Starfire and the rest of his friends. It filled him with no small relief to know that none of them seemed to be on Batman's radar as Objects to Watch.

 _Bangbangbangbang…_

It was coming from a wall of refrigerated body drawers. Robin leaned close to one. He jumped as three hard bangs shook the metal door. "There's somebody in there!"

" _What?"_ Batman asked.

Robin ignored Batman and opened the drawer's latch. He pulled the tray out, revealing a squirming body bag. His eyes widened, wondering how long they'd been trapped in such a horrifying way. "Don't worry! I'll get you out!"

 _"What's happening there?"_ Batman demanded.

Robin used the zipper to split the bag apart to free the trapped victim. Glossy, dead eyes met his. The corpse's mouth fell open in a hissing scream as the dead woman lurched upright, twisting in the bag to heave herself halfway out of the drawer.

Robin screamed and stumbled backwards, knocking into a supply cart and tipping its contents. More knocks and bangs started to come from the other drawers as Robin stepped back in horror. The woman landed in heap on the polished floor. With a groan she started crawling in his direction.

" _Robin! Robin!"_

"D-Dead woman! Zombie!" was all the Boy Wonder managed as he pulled out his bo-staff and kept backing away from her. He happened to glance at a room labeled _Autopsy_ and shrieked again when a half-bisected man slammed his bloody, chalk-white body against the glass door.

 _"It's not real, Robin!"_ Batman's voice yelled at him. _"You're obviously infected. Tell me—where are you in the hospital?"_

Robin backed into a wall, keeping both the man (who was banging at the glass, leaving bloody fist-prints) and the crawling woman in his line of vision. The bangs from the other drawers were growing more insistent along with a chorus of rising moans. The overhead lights began to flicker.

Robin glanced at the exit, but suddenly the woman was standing in front of it, blocking his path. She took a heavy step in his direction. One of the drawers burst open and a bag began to wriggle free.

" _Robin!"_

Robin closed his eyes. His heart raced and he had to fight the powerful urge he felt to just sink to the floor… to curl up and hope someone saved him. He took a breath and opened his eyes. The woman was inches from his face. Robin cried out and shoved her back. He jumped over her body and fled the Morgue. The hallway outside was darker and more narrow than before.

 _He's right. I'm infected._ Robin tried to settle his heart and his breathing back down. He opened his communicator. "I-I was in the Morgue. The bodies started to attack me almost right away. I guess now's a good chance to see if Lucius's antidote works."

The Titan took the dose Batman had given him, rolled up his hoodie sleeve, and injected it into his elbow.

" _It should grant resistance to the dust as long as it's in your bloodstream,"_ Batman said. _"I checked the Morgue here. There was nothing. And we still have an hour until three."_

"It's definitely different from Scarecrow's old fear toxin. They weren't mere illusions. I could feel that woman," Robin said. Determined not to be scared again, he stepped back into the Morgue. "But it's different from the dust, too. I mean, I'm not normally scared of dead bodies. I've seen more than I could count."

He missed Batman's grim frown at the truth in that comment.

" _Scarecrow probably knows by now that we're here. Perhaps he's making his move early. If that's the case than it doesn't look like we're going to be able to stop him from distributing the dust,"_ Batman said.

Robin searched the Morgue starting resolutely with the body drawers. "This hospital has gone into lockdown. Yours?"

" _Same. But the staff will be affected if worse comes to worse. We have to contain everyone. What did you tell Gordon before, on the rooftop?"_

Robin frowned, thinking. As he yanked open yet another drawer, he remembered. "I told him to make the victims sleep."

" _We need to put the hospitals to sleep. Otherwise this could get real ugly by sunrise."_

Robin opened a bottom drawer and found two canisters. One was leaking. Air hissed from it. Both had timers attached to their release clips that were counting down to approximately 3AM. The Titan quickly informed Batman of his find and carefully detached the timers with a few snips of a blade from his utility belt.

" _Good work. That should be the extent of the threat, but tell the police to stay on alert. Get those canisters to Lucius,"_ Batman ordered. _"Ask him to give you his stockpile of the dispersible antidote and bring it here to City Hospital just in case I'm not able to find the hidden canisters. I'm going to use the ventilation system to put everyone asleep just as a precaution."_

"We won't be able to leave them like that safely for too long," Robin said, picking up the canisters. "What if a patient has a medical issue and all the doctors and nurses are still asleep?"

" _It's a risk we have to take."_

* * *

 **It was ten minutes to 3AM when Robin was finally able to pull into Gotham City Hospital. He parked in a an alley and bypassed the police barricades, swinging from a nearby building to a hospital room's balcony. Strapped on his back was a huge canister of dispersible antidote courtesy of Lucius Fox.**

He found Batman near one of the ventilation system's main junctions. "Did you find the dust?"

"Yes. It went off around 2:30. Fortunately, I'd already taken the antidote and placed everyone else asleep as a preemptive measure. Don't worry, you shouldn't be affected."

"Were they leaking, too?" Robin asked as he took off his canister backpack and passed it over.

"No. It's likely with the huge police presence that Scarecrow knows we've been trying to ruin his party."

Robin yawned before he could stop himself. Just talking about sleep made him sleepy. "He was able to remote activate it?"

Batman shook his head. He attached a hose to the canister and threaded the hose deep into the ventilation junction. "I caught one of his crew dressed up as security officer wearing a modified gas mask skulking around. I convinced him to show me where the canisters were hidden."

 _By convinced he means 'dangled upside down off a balcony',_ Robin thought.

"It should be safe for the police to enter soon. I've already instructed one of their technicians on how to safely awaken everyone," Batman added, setting the empty canister down. "It's time for us to go."

As they headed towards an exit, Robin grinned and asked, "Has Alfred been tracking Scarecrow, or do you think he's drooling at the console by now?"

" _I take offense, young sir,"_ the butler said from Batman's communicator.

Robin's eyes widened. He looked at Batman's arm as they kept a brisk pace. "Sorry, Alfred! I didn't realize you were there!"

" _Obviously. I don't suppose you two plan on calling it a night?"_ Alfred asked, sounding tired despite his previous indignation.

"Not yet, Alfred." Batman led them through a room and out to a balcony, taking out his grappling gun. "We're going after Scarecrow."

" _I've been monitoring him via the tracer as you requested. He spent some time on the outskirts of the city, quite near here actually, before lingering on the perimeter of Gotham Mercy Hospital. Currently he's… Oh my. He's right on top of Gotham National Bank,"_ Alfred realized.

"Guess he decided to at least get something out of tonight," Robin figured. The Titan stifled another yawn and reached for his own grappling gun.

"Perhaps. Come on, Robin."

* * *

 **1)** Scarecrow's appearance is taken from the _Arkham_ video game franchise because that fear gauntlet is just too cool.


	4. Message

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. D:

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter 4:** Message

* * *

 **Scarecrow was less than pleased to see Batman not only alive, but unscathed and blocking his exit.**

"Here you are again. Like a persistent nightmare," Scarecrow said, stepping out from the bank's large vault. In addition to his fear gauntlet, the villain carried a giant scythe.

"What does it take to kill a Batman, anyway?" His pale glare switched to Robin. "Or a Boy Wonder, for that matter."

"Surrender, Scarecrow," Batman said, reclaiming the villain's attention. "The police have the building surrounded. There's nowhere left for you to run."

"The _police!"_ Scarecrow laughed as four of his ski-masked henchmen emerged from the vault. They dropped their bags of loot in favor of pulling out handguns, but the floor suddenly erupted at their feet as three of Robin's explosive discs sent the henchmen shrieking and colliding into each other; becoming lost in the blinding smoke. Scarecrow sneered at their incompetence and pushed his way past the coughing, stumbling men. The villain dashed towards the fire exit only to be blocked yet again by Batman.

"Vexatious bat! _Move!"_ Scarecrow hefted his scythe in defense. "Get out of my way or I'll leave you in so many pieces, the boy won't recognize the parts!"

"You can put your weapons down now and go consciously," Batman replied as he shifted into a fighting stance, "or you can wake up wondering why you're being fed through a tube. It's your choice, Crane."

The villain raced forward, swinging his scythe in a fast, horizontal slash meant to decapitate the Dark Knight. Batman ducked—his cowl losing an ear tip—He immediately had to evade again—dodging back as the Scarecrow allowed the momentum of his falling scythe to spin the villain's body around for another quick, powerful strike. This time the scythe's blade sliced across Batman's chest.

* * *

 **As the smoke cleared on the other side of the bank's lobby, Robin froze, hearing Batman's anguished gasp**.

He looked to the ensuing duel between his mentor and the Scarecrow. The older hero's chest had a nasty gash across the bat symbol, but otherwise Batman was fine. Relieved, Robin watched as the Dark Knight threw a vicious punch and Scarecrow was sent wheeling backwards over a reception desk.

"We're gonna kill you, kid!" a henchman yelled, and Robin realized the four thugs were all advancing on him.

The Titan ran, his bo staff extended, and dove into the small crowd of men. He drove into them with controlled violence. He'd been taught by the best how to injure without maiming—how to strike down without killing. It was something Robin could do with practiced ease against such easy opponents. His bo staff slammed into an unprotected back and sent a henchman hurtling face-first into the bank's marble floor.

Right away, Robin had to evade two punches from another thug. The Titan fired back with a cheap shot of his own and followed up with a swift kick to the man's groin. He snatched the man's gun away and then flipped over the collapsing, squeaking henchman to land in a crouch right before the remaining two thugs.

Robin looked up at them, and they looked down at him with ugly grins. Their guns were aimed at his forehead. The Titan smirked and spiked his last two ice discs into their shoes. A brutal rush of ice imprisoned the two henchmen; cutting off their screams.

" _Robin!"_

The Titan gasped, both from hearing the warning and from sensing a sudden displacement of the air above his head. Robin twisted around, bringing his bo staff up with both gloved hands as a shield, but the Scarecrow's scythe cut straight through the metal and split the Titan's weapon into two pieces.

Holding the remains of his weapon, Robin was forced to duck and weave backwards, each time barely avoiding a lethal slice from Scarecrow's blade. The Titan performed a quick back-flip and the scythe missed Robin's leg by centimeters, slamming deep into the bank's marble floor instead.

As Scarecrow cursed and pulled at his embedded weapon, Robin ran up the length of the scythe's long handle and kicked the villain right in the sack-clothed face. His other steel-toed shoe pushed off against Scarecrow's shoulder—sending Robin into another graceful back-flip. Robin landed beside the embedded blade and assumed a defensive stance.

Scarecrow recovered fast and launched forward with his needle-clawed hand reaching for the boy, and Robin dove out of the way, only to realize too late that Scarecrow had _wanted_ him to move. Fueled by wrath, the villain heaved his weapon free.

"I'm going to give you reasons to wear a mask, boy!"

Batman snatched Scarecrow by the hood and threw the villain across the bank's main lobby into a wall full of employee portraits. The portraits and the Scarecrow crashed to the floor.

"You're fight is with me, Crane," Batman growled as he stalked forward.

With a dark laugh, the Scarecrow used his scythe to pull himself up from the shards of glass and broken wood that surrounded him. His pale eyes were amused.

" **What's wrong, Dark Knight?" he asked, the visible parts of his face twisting in mock-concern. "Did my little tussle with the boy scare you?"**

* * *

Robin noticed that the two unfrozen henchmen were back on their feet. They were making a dash for their guns. Rolling his eyes beneath his mask, the Boy Wonder flung the two pieces of his broken bo staff, hitting each man hard enough to send their bodies crashing back to the floor and sliding a few feet across the marble. Neither henchman got up again. Robin shook his head and took a couple of zip ties from his utility belt.

As he stalked past the two iced henchmen, he flashed them a warning glare to _stay_ frozen. He knelt to secure a downed criminal and was satisfied to find the man completely knocked out. However, when Robin moved to get the last henchman, the guy came alive and a fist rocketed across the right side of the young hero's face. Crying out in pain and surprise, Robin lost his balance and fell over on the floor. He sat up quickly, holding his stinging face as the henchman stood to loom over him.

Warm blood seeped between Robin's fingers and dripped down his jaw.

The henchman gave a mean chuckle and made a show of cracking his fists. He brandished the back of his left hand so that Robin could see the gold, serrated ring he wore.

Robin's masked eyes narrowed at the ring. His fingers gently traced the wound along his right cheek. It was shallow, but it felt like a long, thin line of fire.

 _How embarrassing,_ the Titan thought with a deep scowl. _Playing possum is the oldest trick in the book! ...Hopefully Batman wasn't watching._

"I think we ought to make the other side match," the henchman said, making a grab at Robin, but the boy sprung forward and tackled his opponent to the ground, pinning his knees to either side of the henchman's torso.

The thug spat a curse, and was about to rip the kid off of his chest, but Robin was faster. He pulled back a fist and punched the henchman so hard that it hurt the Boy Wonder's knuckles. Robin cringed at the sensation of teeth cracking beneath his fingers. The man's head bounced back against the marble floor and his body went limp beneath the Titan.

Panting, Robin shook a few painful tingles out of his right hand before tying the criminal's wrists together with a zip tie. He then picked up the man's calloused hand and eased the serrated ring off. Robin held the small weapon up to examine the wicked little rows of teeth that were cut into the gold. Unimpressed, he chunked the ring over his shoulder and stood up.

 **He sought out Batman.**

"I'm not going back to Arkham," Scarecrow swore from across the room. He'd been able to fend off most of Batman's attacks and gadgets with his huge scythe and had gotten himself very close to the bank's fire exit.

 _If he gets outside I doubt the police will be able to stop him,_ Robin thought to himself as Scarecrow continued to rant.

"—I'd rather kill us all this instant then spend another night in that torture chamber you so-called purveyors of justice call an _asylum!_ " the villain warned, holding up a C-4 pack attached to a portable detonator.

Robin's masked eyes widened. _Does he just carry that stuff around?_

"You're bluffing, Crane," Batman said, fists still raised and ready to pound the villain once he got his hands on him. "We both know that death is something that even you fear."

Scarecrow grinned. His pale eyes jumped between Robin and the Dark Knight. "Touché, but I happen to know one of your fears, too."

He pushed the detonator's button and a high pitched whine emitted from the C-4 as it was tossed over Batman's head and right to the Boy Wonder. Instinctively, Robin caught it. The Titan looked down in shock at the live explosive in his gloved hands. The Scarecrow ran laughing through the fire exit.

"Robin!" Batman was running. "Throw it and get in the vault!"

The high pitched hum of the C-4 rose exponentially as Robin complied. He dashed into the room only seconds before Batman. Together they pulled the heavy vault door closed right as the C-4 detonated.

* * *

 **Several minutes later Batman reopened the vault door with a hard shove. The police had already entered the bank. They wore breathing masks and worked to save the Scarecrow's scalded henchmen.**

It had only been a small amount of C-4; just enough to ruin the bank's lobby and secure the Scarecrow's escape. The fires had been put out and the room was left a blackened mess.

"Well," Robin said, coughing and stepping out of the vault after Batman, "do you think he's out of C-4 yet?"

Batman said, "The real question is how he managed to get so much in the first place."

Robin coughed again. He raised an arm to shield his nose and mouth as he spoke. "Maybe he trades his fear toxins for it?"

Without replying, Batman led them through the lobby and the fire exit. Robin could tell by the stiff way the older hero walked that the man was getting irritated.

 _That's twice Scarecrow has eluded us tonight,_ the Boy Wonder thought with a frown. Once outside, both heroes scanned the ground for useful tracks left in the snow, but there was nothing, and the police had been too distracted by the explosion to pay any attention to which way the villain had fled.

"This isn't over," Batman said, leaving the scene. "We're going to get him if it takes all night."

Robin followed without comment.

* * *

 **Batman's mood further soured when he realized the villain's tracer had gone inactive. He figured that after their appearance at the bank, Scarecrow had probably looked for and found the tracking device.**

The two vigilantes stood in an alley by the Batmobile as they considered what to do next. It was 3:46 AM.

 _This is like having a giant paper cut,_ Robin thought, keeping pressure on his right check. _For such a thin wound it sure has bled a lot._

Batman paused in his brooding long enough to address the blood caking half of his ward's face.

"I noticed that earlier. What happened?" Batman asked.

"He was wearing a ring." Robin held his fingers aside and turned his face so that Batman could tell where all the smeared blood had come from.

Batman frowned. Though superficial, the wound was unfortunately clearly visible on the boy's face. He said, "This isn't exactly a good look for Dick Grayson."

Robin smirked and peeled back his mask just enough to scratch some 'sleep' from his left eye. "Can you imagine the scandal if someone thought he got into an actual fistfight? The tabloids would go crazy _._ "

"Or someone could call DHR."

"I'm way too old for that," Robin dismissed, turning to look at his reflection in the Batmobile's black windows. The blood drying on the side of his face made the wound appear much worse than it actually was.

The Titan said, "I wonder if it'll leave a scar."

"Not if it's treated properly," Batman replied. "And you are _not_ too old. You practically skipped high school, but that doesn't make you a legal adult."

"I'll be more careful," Robin assured, not wanting to goad an actual argument. _He's right anyway. Dick Grayson doesn't need to look like he fell down the stairs with all these social appearances coming up. Besides, this is probably already going to upset Starfire. Maybe I should have kept that ring to show her that it wasn't anything dangerous._

"Good. Take care of that and—"

" _Excuse me, sirs,"_ Alfred cut in, _"but I thought you both might be interested to know that the Scarecrow's tracer has begun functioning again. It's moved quite a distance from your current location, however."_

As Alfred spoke, Robin dipped his gloved fingers into snow that had collected on the Batmobile's hood and used the cold moisture to clear the blood from his cheek. A hard shiver ran through his body. The Titan grimaced. After drying the stinging area off, he took a large square bandage from his utility belt and was able to cover most of the cut.

"Why would he turn it back on?" Robin asked, sniffling from the chilly weather. His next yawn turned into a sneeze, which he quickly directed into his elbow.

" _Perhaps it was only a temporary malfunction,"_ Alfred offered. _"Or he's leading you on a wild goose chase."_

"Or into a trap," Robin said, sniffling again. A soft rain of snow flurries began to fall and the Titan sighed. He pulled his hoodie up over his spikey hair and already freezing ears.

"For now it's our only lead. Thanks, Alfred. We'll check it out," Batman said before retrieving a thick strip of black first aid tape from his utility belt and wrapping it around the deep slash on his upper left arm. The laceration across his chest would have to wait. It was fairly superficial anyway. He pressed a command into his gauntlet and the Batmobile slid open.

"Get in. We'll pick up your motorcycle afterwards," Batman said, climbing into his car and flipping on the heat. "It's out of sight I assume."

"Of course," Robin said, hopping into the Batmobile. He slumped low in the passenger seat, relieved when the car closed up and shut out the freezing air, and stole a glance at Batman before stealthily turning up the heater. The warmth brushed over his arms and face and Robin felt like he could melt into the seat. He yawned hard, relaxing as the car pulled out of the alley, rolling over Gotham's familiar streets… streets that were always cast in neon lights… and shadows…

* * *

 **Cold air sucked into the car and Robin gasped, sitting up fast before his seatbelt slammed him back into the passenger's seat.**

"Sorry," Batman offered, getting out of the Batmobile. "I didn't realize you were actually asleep."

Embarrassed and half-afraid that Batman might ask if he wanted to stay in the car, Robin quickly got out of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the thick snow flurries continued their gentle fall from Gotham's dark skies. Robin scowled and tried to control his shivering.

 _I need to stop being so distracted by discomfort,_ he told himself, and determined to ignore the cold, focused on identifying his surroundings.

 _A dark alley. Decrepit office buildings. Shattered windows. Graffiti… Uhhh…_

"We're in the Narrows," Batman supplied, seeing the slight disorientation on his ward's face.

 **The Narrows was a small island district connected by a bridge to the rest of the city. It was the poorest, most crime-ridden part of Gotham.**

Batman added, "It's where the tracer signal finally came to a rest before we got here. I've spent the last half-hour following the signal all over Gotham. It's possible that Scarecrow had this place set up as his endgame while one of his goons led us around town."

Robin said, "And then he sent the tracer here knowing we'd follow even if this is obviously a trap. He knows this is the only lead we have. We'll have to check it out."

"While following the signal I remembered something," Batman said, leading Robin to the rear of the car. The trunk slid open and Batman reached in, retrieving a collapsed bo staff.

"I was fairly sure one of these was still stowed back here," Batman said, offering the weapon to the younger hero. "Looks like I was right."

A small, pleased smile appeared on the boy's face, and Batman watched as Robin expanded the weapon, spinning the bo staff back and forth—probably to test its weight and balance—before holding it down by his side.

"Thanks!" Robin said, smiling up at him. "It's a good thing you or Alfred never took it out after all this time, huh? I mean, I can fight without it, but it definitely helps extend my reach when dealing with taller and flying opponents."

Batman restocked his Batarangs and pulled out an infrared detector before allowing the Batmobile's trunk to slide shut with a soft click. Incorporating infrared into the cowl was a pet project that Lucius was still tweaking.

Batman opened up his gauntlet and noted that the tracer's signal remained stationary.

"Follow me," he told the boy, grappling to the top of an old office building. Robin followed and together they crouched down behind the building's cracked stone railing and scanned the Narrows for any signs of trouble.

* * *

 **"There doesn't appear to be anyone guarding the area," Robin said, after a long look through his binoculars.**

"See that convenience store with the large hole in the roof?" Batman asked. "That's where the signal is coming from. We'll have to get closer to use the infrared to tell if there's anyone inside."

Robin found the building with a sizable hole in its roof and zoomed in on it with his binoculars.

 _I guess all that snow made the roof collapse inwards,_ he figured.

The sign attached to the front of the convenience store read: _MARTY'S MEAT MARKET._

"Let's go," Batman said, and the two vigilantes made their way across rooftops; running, jumping, and swinging until they landed on a roof adjacent to the meat market. They crept to the edge, crouching and checking the area again for any of Scarecrow's crew. Batman pointed the detector at the building and waited for the infrared waves to bounce back with information. A small graph on the detector's screen displayed three orange blobs against a background of black and dark blue. Two of the orange splotches were faintly human-shaped. Batman allowed the waves to bounce back and forth for several minutes to see if any change occurred.

"There are three heat signatures inside," he finally told Robin. "One is very small. Its movement suggests a controlled fire. The other two are human. One of them matches up perfectly with the tracer signal, but neither person appears to be moving."

"Do you think one of them is him?" Robin asked, dusting the snow from his arms and shoulders.

"Doubtful. It's more likely one of his crew plus someone he's using for bait; maybe an unlucky civilian," Batman figured. "Unfortunately, there are plenty of homeless people in the Narrows that would make easy prey."

Robin said, "I bet he plans to attack us with one of his fear toxins."

"I still carry agents to counteract his known fear toxins, and we should still be protected from the Scare Dust," Batman replied. "Hopefully he hasn't invented any other new surprises."

"What about the fear gas?"

"He hasn't used it in over a year, which is fortunate. The last known attack proved capable of penetrating military grade gas masks. It went straight through his victims' skin. No one survived," Batman said, sparing his ward the rest of the grisly details.

But Batman remembered clawed out eyes, fingers worn to the bone, chipped fingernails embedded in the walls, and six battle-hardened soldiers, all terrorized into committing suicide, into killing each other, all scared to death by their own minds.

"Wow. If it's that effective…" Robin thought for a moment. "Do you think he's afraid to use it—since it's that powerful?"

"I hope he is," Batman said. _Although he did mention having masks to give his thugs_ , _and he's begun wearing elements of a gas mask himself. We'll need to get that mask I confiscated from his thug at the hospital to Lucius._

"I don't see anyone guarding the building," Robin said.

"We'll take a closer look." Batman took a running jump, his cape expanding to help him glide down to the meat market. The already half-collapsed roof groaned at his landing.

Robin used a light pole to grapple his way over.

The unstable roof creaked under their added weight as the two heroes carefully picked their way closer to the large, jagged hole on the right side of the roof. Rotted beams of wood jutted out from the snow that had broken through and invaded the store.

"It looks like there's just enough room for us to slip through," Batman said, gesturing towards a dark gap between the caved in roof and the snowfall that had over time nearly plugged it.

A man's strained voice drifted up from the darkness. _"Help us! ...Please!"_

Robin heard the plea and moved, but Batman held an arm to block him.

"Don't rush. Remember, whatever's happening in there, it's Scarecrow's machination. Don't get distracted by the bait," Batman said.

Robin gave a quick nod. "Do you want me to go first?"

Batman's gaze swept the other rooftops again, checking for snipers. "No. Follow me."

The heroes slipped into the building, maneuvering between the snow and the collapsed ceiling. It was a tight squeeze at first, especially for the Dark Knight, but soon enough both vigilantes were able to half-fall, half-slide into the dark, cold building.

* * *

 **Upon landing, their boots crunched loud against the snow and the debris cluttering the meat market's floor.**

Robin tried to shake off as much of the snow caking his uniform as possible. His ears and nose felt numb. He grit his teeth to keep them from chattering.

" _Is ...someone ...there?"_ the pained voice called out. It was coming from the center of the store. _"You have ...to help! They took my son!"_

"Stay close to me," Batman said. He led Robin down an aisle and past a series of empty shelves as they neared the man's location. Glancing at his gauntlet, he noted that the tracer signal was within the vicinity of the man's heat signature.

They reached the center of the store. Batman's eyes widened. His immediate thought was to use his cape to block Robin's view of the man they'd found, but his ward's sharp intake of breath told the Dark Knight that it was too late. Batman did not glance to see Robin's reaction, but he added the moment to a long list of violent things he regretted the boy seeing before the age of twenty.

"Please… help," the man begged. He was strung up between two adjacent aisles. Coils of thick barbed wire were wound tightly around his limbs and torso, biting deep into his clothes and flesh. The wire suspended him in a tortured, arched position roughly two feet above the market floor. One of the man's arms was stretched by the barbed wire so that it pointed towards the back of the store. Blood stained his body and the ground beneath him.

Beside the man was the fire source Batman had detected. It was a steel drum full of burning trash. The fire cast the man's twisted form and the rest of the meat market in an eerie, flickering light.

"How do we get him down?" Robin asked, almost breathless. His worried masked eyes were scanning every inch of the man's body, of the wires ensnaring him, for the best, least harmful method to stop the torture.

The man whimpered. His fingers and shoes twitched in pain. "Please…"

"Don't worry; we'll get you down and to a hospital," Batman assured. He was already checking where the barbed wires were crudely linked to the meat market's aisles.

"There doesn't seem to be any sort of trigger or other trap attached to him," Batman told Robin. "I think he's just a signpost for where Scarecrow wants us to go next."

"Took… my son," the man said again, grimacing as the wires shifted dangerously against his throat. "Please… He's probably ...so ...scared."

"We'll help him," Robin promised. Concern strained his voice. "But please, stop talking. Every time you speak it makes the barbs dig deeper into your chest."

Batman took the man by the waist, prepared to catch his weight. He said to Robin, "I've got him. Cut the wires."

"No, not _me_." The father's wet eyes met Batman's.

"I detected another person at the back of the store," Batman told the man as Robin used a birdarang to slice through wires. "There's a good chance it's your son."

"Oh thank god," the man said, sagging against the Dark Knight as more of the wires suspending him were snapped free. Unfortunately, the wires couldn't be completely removed from the man's body as most of the barbs were embedded fully into his skin. Robin cut the wires as close as possible without removing them and they eased the man, who had fallen unconscious, down onto the snow covered floor.

Batman laid his cape across the tortured father. "Come on, Robin."

The Titan gave the man they were leaving a concerned frown before pulling out his bo staff and following Batman quickly to the back of the store.

With every hurried step they took, Robin felt his anger at Scarecrow grow.

 _He hurt that man because he wanted to mess with us,_ Robin thought, glaring and clenching his teeth. His grip on the bo staff tightened.

* * *

 **The tracer signal led the two vigilantes to a metal door. The sign above the door read:** _ **PROCESSING ROOM: Employees Only.**_

Batman opened it. To Robin, the room was pitch black, but the night vision Incorporated into Batman's cowl enabled the older hero to see the room's interior cast in blue shades of light.

"The signal is coming from deeper in the room," Batman said. "I can't see any other doors or windows. You stay here and make sure this one stays open until I come back."

Robin frowned again as he took hold of the door. He wasn't keen on the idea of Batman going in alone, but it didn't make sense for both of them to walk right into what could be a deathtrap either.

"Hurry, and be careful," Robin said, glancing over his shoulder towards the empty shelves and aisles. The fire burning in the center of the store made long shadows jump across the meat market's ceiling. Robin swallowed and gazed into the dark processing room, unable to make out his mentor in the utter blackness.

* * *

 **The Dark Knight found a young boy curled against the room's far back wall. It was a child at least half the age of Robin. Small and skinny, deathly pale from the cold, with dark, messy hair—the boy was tightly bound in barbed wire from head to toe.**

The boy was dead.

The wires crisscrossed and snared the child's face. His eyes were closed. The barbed wire around them had been bent back and shaped like diamonds to crudely resemble a very familiar mask. Batman suppressed the sickness and rage that co-mingled in his gut when he realized the message that Scarecrow had left. In addition to the message lying curled against the wall, Batman saw that behind the boy, scrawled in jagged blood, were the words: _ARE YOU SCARED?_ along with a drawing of an evil smiley face.

"Robin," Batman said in a voice loud enough to carry, "are you all right?"

 _"No change here. Is everything okay?"_ the younger hero asked. _"Did you find him?"_

"Yes. Don't let your guard down. I'll be out in a minute."

Batman knelt beside the still-warm body. A small, bat-shaped tracer was stuck right in the middle of the deceased boy's forehead.

It was carefully removed.

The Dark Knight rose to his feet, gently lifting the boy as he stood. There was no point in attempting to remove the barbed wire that entangled the small body. After a brief search of the room, Batman found a tarp to wrap up the boy just in case the father regained consciousness, and to spare Robin the memory. The grief Batman felt for the small body was suppressed as he carried the boy out of the processing room.

Robin saw the concealed body cradled in his mentor's arms and his mouth fell open a moment in shock. He looked aside, unable to face the child they'd failed to save.

"We took too long," the Titan said.

Batman carried the child back towards the father and Robin followed solemnly behind. "Scarecrow is the one responsible. Blaming ourselves won't bring this family justice, and we may still be able to save the father."

"But why this?" Robin asked, unable to shake a heavy feeling of guilt. _If we'd caught him at the docks or at the bank! If we'd gotten here sooner!_

"We were too narrow in our thinking," Batman continued. "We were so sure that this would be a trap—but it was a message."

"A warning to back off?" Robin asked.

 _Close enough to the truth,_ Batman decided. "Yes. And in addition to the message, Scarecrow was able to distract us long enough to better cover his tracks. He probably thinks we'll give up and go home now that we're out of leads."

The remorse Robin felt was, for the moment, swallowed up. He scowled and clutched his bo-staff, picking up his pace to walk beside Batman.

"Then he's got another thing coming," Robin said, looking up at the older hero as they strode through the store. "There's no way he's getting away with this! There's got to be something we can do to find him."

"There's always a next step," Batman said, "but first, we need to get that man to a hospital. There's a trauma clinic in Midtown. It's the best we can do for him now."

Robin nodded; his eyes determined as he looked ahead. _And then Scarecrow's gonna pay for this._

* * *

 **The father was still unconscious. Robin felt guilty at his own relief— _they_ wouldn't be the ones to tell the poor man about the son he'd lost. A part of Robin wondered if it would be better for the man to just die and never find out.**

"I'll carry the child," Robin said, his voice cracking a little despite his best efforts to remain stoic.

The Titan collapsed and put away his bo staff so that both of his arms would be free to carry the small burden. He looked up at Batman, his hands and arms raised and waiting for the body to be set down into them.

Batman hesitated, and Robin appealed to his logic, "We can move faster if you're not carrying both of them."

* * *

 **The weight of a dead body was not something the Boy Wonder had known before, and most certainly not the weight of a _dead child._**

As he trailed Batman through the snow and towards the Batmobile, Robin stared down at the tarp-covered face. He wondered what Scarecrow had done, or had ordered to be done, to kill the young boy. Based on how they'd found the father, Robin felt he had a pretty good idea. He shivered, but not from the falling snow.

 _I'm sorry._

He did not look down at the body again.

* * *

 **Since there was no room in the Batmobile, Robin was left in the shadow-filled alley with strict orders not to move. It was just after 5AM.**

Robin sat on a dumpster, his knees drawn in and his arms wrapped around his legs to conserve body heat. His hood was pulled down, concealing most of his face as he waited for the older hero to return. His skin crawled with the feeling that he was being observed, but every time Robin looked around, he found himself to be completely alone.

 _It's too bad we left my bike behind._

 _I'm going to ask Alfred to put a thermal blanket in the Batmobile's trunk._

 _We can even make it official combat gear and call it the Batblanket._

 _A heat-generating Batblanket would be perfect right about now..._

 _Maybe I can get Lucius to talk him into adding a backseat._

The Narrows was quiet. The snow flurries continued to fall. Robin yawned and rubbed his face, mindful not to mess with the bandage on his right cheek. Another crawl of paranoia swept over his skin, and Robin glanced up and down the dark alley. He looked up at the rooftops far overhead. There was nothing.

 _I'm just tired._

 _It's so cold. I guess it turned out to be a longer night outside than either of us planned..._

 _He probably tied that kid up with barbed wire._

Robin's sleepy mind began doing morbid calculations. _When he struggled the wires must have gotten tighter. Did he bleed to death?_ _What was he thinking about?_

" _I'm leaving the hospital,"_ Batman said through the communicator. _"I'll be there in less than ten minutes."_

"Good—I mean, so where should we look next?" Robin asked, rubbing his forehead.

" _Alfred, have there been any more disturbances in the city?"_ Batman asked.

The butler's tired voice replied, _"There was some police chatter about a mugging. The culprit has already been apprehended. It seems Gotham has finally quieted down for the night, or what's left of the night. How went the Narrows, sir? You mentioned a hospital. There wasn't another attack, was there? You'll have to forgive me. I may have nodded off a bit."_

 _"Not on a hospital._ _Scarecrow left us two victims in the Narrows as a warning to stop interfering with his plans. Only one was alive. I've just dropped him off at Our Lady of Gotham's Medical,"_ Batman said. _"The other victim was a child. I left the body in the hospital's care."_

" _Good gracious. I'll check all the channels again, sir_ ," Alfred promised. _"And… perhaps the data disc that you recovered the other night may also prove helpful?"_

"That's right," Robin said. He tried to keep his teeth from chattering as he spoke. "Weren't there other places mentioned a lot besides that mansion in the Diamond District? We can check them out."

" _I'll upload the data to your car straightaway, sir."_

* * *

 **Batman drove while Robin reviewed the data from the recovered disc on a small dashboard screen. There were several possible locations, but a basement, two warehouses, the back of a club, and a second tour of Crime Alley did not turn up the Scarecrow. After another run through of the data disc, Robin pointed out that the initials R. K. recurred several times.**

Robert "the Knife" King was a suspected high ranking member of the Scarecrow's crew, but the evidence against him always ended up being circumstantial. Neither the police nor Batman had ever been able to firmly tie the man to criminal activity. Even Batman had wondered if King really was a member of the crew or just a red herring the Scarecrow used to distract law enforcement from his real man in-the-know.

Until now.

Batman had the ghost of a tight, satisfied smirk on his face as he strode into _The Dive_ , a seedy little restaurant bar in Crime Alley. King, the owner of the bar, was snoring away in his usual booth, head resting on his arms. Stacks of money and a ledger were also on the table.

A door titled _MANAGER_ banged open and a short, red-faced man rushed out into the restaurant gripping a shotgun. At the sight of Batman, the manager huffed and set his gun on a table. His face twisted into a dark scowl.

"Not you again! You stupid Bat!" the manager cried, shaking a finger at the Dark Knight.

"You're always scaring off my patrons! Don't you know it's only six or so in the morning? The sun isn't even up! We're not even opened yet, and here you are! Getting an early start on ruining my business! Don't you know what a locked door means?"

The flustered manager noted Robin and added, "And now you bring that one in here? Great! Now I have to worry about _two_ of you breaking things!"

Robin said, "We noticed you had some trash that needed picking up."

"We'll be gone shortly." Batman bypassed the red-faced manager and descended upon King. He snatched the sleeping man by the collar, startling King awake, and hauled him out of the booth; holding him a few inches above the floor.

"What? What did I do?" King cried. His face darkened as he recognized the hero.

King regained his composure. "You can't just barge in here and hassle me like this! Costumed freak! Put me down or I'll call my lawyer. He'll nail you for assault!"

Robin smirked; a skeptical eyebrow rose beneath his mask. "Who exactly is your lawyer going to sue? Where would he even send the paperwork?"

"Watch your mouth, brat! Isn't it a school night?" King snapped down at the teen. He turned his glare back on the taller, darker vigilante. "Where'd you get this smart-mouthed kid, anyway? I bet that's something else the lawyers would love to know."

Batman's eyes narrowed.

"Never mind!" King said, squirming in the iron grip. "I don't care who he is! Can you at least put me down? Please? This actually kind of hurts!"

"I can hurt you in more ways than you can ever imagine," Batman promised. "Where's Scarecrow? If anyone knows where he's hiding—it's you."

"I've told the cops a thousand times! I don't know nothin' about no Scarecr—Hey! Wait! W-Where are we going!?" King asked as he was dragged towards the restaurant's rear exit.

"For a walk," Batman said. "Robin, stay here."

* * *

 **They swept through the backdoor as the Titan slid into King's booth.**

Robin yawned deeply. He pawed the ledger closer and started reading the numbers and notes covering the pages. He glanced at the piles of money on the table and then looked over at the restaurant's manager, who was watching the back exit with a worried frown.

"So is this money… it's all legally obtained, right?" the Boy Wonder asked.

The manager gasped and hurried over. "What are you doing there? Get away from that!"

The manager swiped the ledger away. He tucked it in the crook of his elbow and scooped up the piles of money. The man then scurried through his office door, muttering the whole way.

"—stupid meddling overgrown bats and their little snot-nosed friends! Little thugs like you belong in juvenile centers with barbed-wire walls—not harassing honest men like me!"

Alone, Robin rested his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands. He looked out the booth's window, but view was mostly obscured by thick security bars and the glass was frosted over anyway.

 _I'm glad Star wasn't here tonight. I'm glad none of them were,_ he thought to himself, yawning again.

 _What should I tell them when they ask me about tonight?_ _The last thing I want to do is make them worry if Batman asks me to go out on another patrol._

 _Maybe it's better if I leave out the really bad things. ...Wouldn't want to give Beast Boy nightmares, right?_

 _But we don't keep secrets or hide things from each other anymore. It makes us a more effective team._

 _But I don't want to ruin their holidays with depressing stories either,_ he rationalized. _Who wants to hear about dead bodies and barbed wire?_

The backdoor opened and Robin looked up to see Batman, sans King, reentering _The Dive._

"Come on. I know where to find Scarecrow. And he's not getting away this time."

* * *

 **When they reached Amusement Mile it was less than an hour until sunrise.**

"You'd think for once he'd just go stand in a cornfield," Robin said as they swung down into the theme park. The booths full of games, prizes, and carnival food were shuddered closed. All of the park's attractions were still and dark.

"Crane is obsessed with fear. He can't help himself."

"I know," Robin said, "but using a 'haunted house' as a place to lay low is just so obvious."

"Not too obvious. Without King we wouldn't be here. Hold on." Batman stepped deeper into a booth's long shadow and Robin copied him. They waited as a security guard working for the park and wielding a flashlight strolled past. Robin scowled at the man's other hand, which clutched a thermos.

 _Probably full of hot coffee._ Robin looked up at Batman and asked in a hushed voice, "Are you positive that King isn't messing with you about this?"

Batman narrowed his eyes down at the boy.

"Let's go check out The Haunted House," Robin agreed, sliding past the Dark Knight. He resumed creeping through the amusement park's heavy shadows. He knew Batman silently followed.


	5. Fear

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. D:

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter 5: Fear**

* * *

The exterior of the Haunted House attraction lived up to the ride's name. Its façade made the building look like an old, rotting house with boarded up windows and a wide front porch with uneven, wooden steps. A train of two-seater carts sat empty on the ride's steel tracks. Red eyes, tombstones, and dripping blood were painted on the faux brick walls along with the jagged green words: _HAUNTED HOUSE… ENTER IF YOU DARE!_

"This way. King warned of a sentry," Batman said quietly, leading Robin to a small operator shed that was attached to the right side of the attraction. Batman opened the door, reached into the narrow space, and snatched a man wearing a ski mask out. His gloved hand smothered the henchman's scream. The goon was of slight build and easy to manage. Batman held him in an iron grip as Robin slipped past and into the operator shed.

Once inside, the Titan sat down at a massive switchboard full of buttons that were meant to control the Haunted House's train ride, animatronics, lights, and sounds. A widescreen attached to the top of the console displayed several black and white camera feeds that gave the operator a full a view of the attraction's interior.

"What can you tell?" Batman asked from outside of the shed. The space inside was far too narrow for more than one person to fit.

"I want to say all of the rooms are empty, but it's hard to tell with all of those animatronics standing and sitting around," Robin admitted, his masked eyes scanning each feed. The animatronics positioned throughout the ride were, of course, not moving, but they were both life-sized and lifelike.. They were zombies, clowns, ghouls...

"Wait. _These_ are definitely his people." Robin tapped a gloved finger to a screen that displayed a large room with lots of gears and riggings that reminded him strongly of Slade's lair. The room looked like a basement and was lit by a few exposed bulbs that hung from the ceiling. Men wearing ski masks were lounging around the big room; apparently asleep. Most importantly—

"Got him!" Robin pointed at the hunched figure and its accompanying scythe, both of which were leaning against a giant, stationary gear. "He looks asleep. Like you said, he must have figured we'd give up and go home after the Narrows... Other than Scarecrow I can only see seven guys. Strange—I don't see any firearms. I guess that doesn't mean they don't have any though... Scarecrow's in the far left corner from where this camera is positioned."

"King said we'd find a man in this shed and that Scarecrow is hiding underneath the attraction. It looks like he's telling the truth thus far," Batman said as Robin reemerged from the shed. The older hero looked down at the ski masked man still squirming in his iron grip. Looks like they wouldn't need to extract information from him.

"Thanks for your help." Batman knocked the man unconscious in a quick, silent movement. The henchman was then dragged behind a pink striped booth labeled _CORN DOGS, FUNNEL CAKES, &_ _COTTON CANDY_ ; his hands zip tied and his mouth sealed with medical tape.

"Are you ever going to teach me how you do that quick-knockout move?" Robin asked as they closed the now empty operator's shed and headed back around towards the front of the Haunted House.

"Your hands aren't big enough yet. Come on. King said the door is unlocked and that the ride doesn't have an alarm system."

Batman led them up the attraction's uneven steps, over the porch, and onto the steel tracks. He then carefully pushed open one of the house's creaky, swinging double doors and held it aside for Robin. The boy was scrutinizing his gloved hands as he passed under his mentor's arm and entered the Haunted House.

* * *

 **Inside the attraction was dark other than the eerie green glow of EXIT signs. Batman's cowl enabled him to see perfectly in the dark, but Robin's eyes took a few minutes to adjust.**

The Titan yawned for the hundredth time that night as he balanced on the ride's tracks—imagining they were a tightrope—and followed Batman through a room designed to look like a decrepit cemetery haunted by revived corpses. He kept his bo staff ready in one hand just in case the Scarecrow had the place booby-trapped.

 _He probably doesn't,_ Robin figured. _This hideout is full of patrons and park employees during the day and late into the evening. It'd be a huge hassle for Scarecrow's men to have to rig and unrig traps every night._

As they traversed past half-sunken headstones and frozen zombie animatronics, Robin asked in a hushed voice, "How do we get down to that room with all the gears? It didn't look like a part of the ride, and I'm pretty sure I don't remember it from the last time I was on this ride."

"King said there's a disguised maintenance door in a room filled with clowns." Batman stepped over a "corpse" that was posed to appear crushed by the attraction's train ride. His torn cape brushed over the exposed silicon entrails.

Robin took a long step over the grisly animatronic. "Oh I know that room. It's themed like a circus."

It had been years since Robin had ridden through the Haunted House. He'd ridden alone, although Alfred and Maggie had been a few carts behind him. _I wonder if I can convince Bruce to let the Titans check out Amusement Mile? It's a lot like the park in Jump, but it'd be neat to do the rides here with them._

Instead, Robin smirked and quietly asked, "So, how many of King's fingers did you have to break to find out about this place anyway? He sure gave you a lot of specific details."

"Five," Batman said without looking back, "and he knows I'll be back for the _other_ five if this doesn't pan out."

Robin blinked, almost missing a step and stumbling off the track. He frowned as he regained his balance and quickly caught up to the older hero. "…You know I was kidding, right? About King's fingers…"

"So was I."

Robin's smirk returned, and he was surprised to feel a sense of relief, too.

Batman added, "All I had to do was threaten him with the data disc and he cracked. King knows he's not cut out for Blackgate. He's probably skipping town as we speak. If he's regained consciousness."

"If he's smart he is," Robin agreed.

Batman led them out of the cemetery and through a dark corridor. Skeleton hands hung from the ceiling. Several of the boney, plastic arms bounced against his cowl, and the Dark Knight was forced to duck and brush them aside. He glanced behind and noted that none of the arms were long enough to hit even the top of his ward's spikey head, and that the boy looked vaguely amused. Maybe even smug. Batman's eyes narrowed. A boney hand clacked against his forehead as he refocused on the path ahead. He ignored the quiet snicker behind him.

The next room, designed to look like a nightmarish circus, was visible after the tracks took a sharp turn. Frightening murals of giant clowns with massive teeth and of towering, sinister circus tents covered the walls. On either side of the tracks, throughout the entire room, hideous clown animatronics were stationed. They were frozen with their clawed, white-gloved fingers poised to attack the riders who normally passed beneath them in the train carts.

Robin glared up at the cannibalistic clowns as he walked resolutely through them along the track. They had exaggerated mouths full of razor sharp teeth. They were fat and skinny, short and tall. All of them had fake blood splatters painted on their colorful costumes and chalky skin. Bathed in the eerie glow of the Exit Light, the clowns looked extra creepy.

 **The Boy Wonder paused to give a green haired, purple-clad one a particularly dark scowl.**

"Over here," Batman called in a hushed voice. Hidden amongst the swirling pictures painted on the wall, he'd found a door.

Robin squeezed between two clown animatronics and joined his mentor, watching as Batman opened the door with quiet care. The two vigilantes then entered a short maintenance hall that was lit via a single, flickering overhead lightbulb. At the end of the hall was a darkened staircase.

 _Beast Boy would be freaking out if he were here,_ Robin thought to himself. His skin crawled and he cast a look over his shoulder as he trailed closely behind Batman through the maintenance hall; careful to keep his footsteps soft against the cement floor. Above, the exposed light bulb hissed and flickered. Nothing appeared to be following them.

* * *

 **They descended the stairs without a sound and took up a position behind a large, unmoving gear. The wide room was steeped in shadows and cluttered with various sized gears, pulleys, pipes, and riggings. It was the underbelly of the attraction. Only three overhead bulbs, two of which had dimmed, lit the large space. The men in the room were still and quiet. Their steady breathing was the only sound.**

Robin sought out the security camera and pictured the feed again in his mind. _On the camera feed we could see seven guys other than Scarecrow. They all looked asleep. Scarecrow was in the far left corner. If we follow this wall, we might be able to navigate the gears straight to him._

Batman seemed to have the same idea. He crouched low and slowly crept between the gears and the wall.

Robin silently collapsed his bo staff so that he had access to both of his hands. He followed his mentor over and under pipes; edging, stepping, and crawling around machinery and bizarre pulley-systems as they advanced on their target. After several painstaking minutes of traversing the room, the Boy Wonder had to suppress a deep yawn; his eyes stinging a moment beneath his mask from fatigue. He paused long enough to lift the corners of his mask and quickly rub a few itchy tears away.

Batman tapped him on the shoulder and drew the Titan's attention to something plastered to the wall.

Squinting at first, Robin's eyes widened with disbelief. He exchanged a wary look with Batman.

 _How did Scarecrow get his hands on so much C-4?_ Unable to share his thoughts, Robin gave his mentor a puzzled frown. _I guess this explains why none of his henchmen seem to have guns. He must have the whole basement rigged. It's a good thing he's not into killing people with explosives. He could've just blown those hospitals up. We've got to find out how he's managed to get his hands on so much._

They continued on, gingerly stepping past a snoozing henchman who was on the ground and propped up against one of the giant motionless gears. The guy snored blissfully; his back resting against the wide teeth of the gear. Robin saw a switchblade on the floor beside the man and took a moment to swipe it up, ducking under a pipe and stretching out his hand to snatch the blade away just in case the man became a problem later.

 **There was a screeching noise. The giant gear Robin was kneeling under groaned a mere second before rocketing to life. He heard Batman's surprised gasp, his name being called, the henchman screaming, felt something wet splashing his face and neck, and then—**

Robin's back and palms hit the basement wall. Dizzily, the Titan braced himself, grounding his spinning thoughts as he leaned against the cold cement and looked down at his chest. There was blood splattered across his hoodie. He realized the blood was also on his face and quickly used both hands to try and wipe it off; smearing it across his gloved fingers and his jawline. Robin finally registered the screaming man nearby, and saw that one of Scarecrow's henchmen, the one he'd tried to steal a switchblade from, was trapped under a giant gear. Half of the man was pinned between the gear and floor. He was being crushed. Blood was everywhere; on the man, the floor, the thick rivets of the gear... Robin watched in horror as the man's bones were crushed and the gear was able to turn again.

Robin blinked in shock, shook his head, and looked away. He got his breathing under control (why was he breathing so fast?) and sought out Batman. The basement had whirled to life. All of the oversized gears were churning. Levies and pumps and other contraptions he could only fathom the purpose of were in full motion. The scary sounds of the attraction—blood curdling screams and insane laughter—the noise of the train carts rattling across the tracks—echoed down into the basement. More importantly, all six of Scarecrow's other men were awake, yelling threats and on their feet, and Batman was fighting them alone—keeping them back while Robin regained his senses.

 _"Get them! Get them both!"_

Robin tried to track the voice, but he saw no sign of where the Scarecrow lurked in the basement's deep shadows. Gritting his teeth, Robin extended his bo staff and ran to help Batman fend off the henchmen that attacked the Dark Knight from all sides with baseball bats, knives, and pieces of steel they'd snatched up from the basement floor.

"What happened?" Robin leapt into the fray; kicking a henchman back and swatting a would-be attacker away from Batman with his bo staff. He twisted to block the swing of a baseball bat. The steel bat hit his bo staff so hard the force sent vibrations through Robin's arms.

"Someone activated the ride." Batman's fist sent a knife-wielding man careening into two others.

 _It couldn't have been the thug we found in the operator's shed. Someone must have shown up to take his place,_ Robin thought as he parried the bat away, ducked, and slammed his bo staff into the henchman's gut. He yanked the baseball bat from the man's hands and drove it into another thug's stomach. Both winded henchmen collapsed to their knees. Robin used his bo staff to launch himself into a spinning kick; his feet colliding with the men's heads and knocking them over. It was dangerous to kick them in the head, he knew, but the use of force seemed unavoidable. Another man ran at him with a crowbar. Robin engaged him as to his left Batman fought two other henchmen.

 _We've got to get them down so we can-_ Before the thought could finish, several small objects whizzed past Robin's ear. The Titan gasped and dropped low. The henchman he'd been fighting grunted in pain, and Robin looked up to see a dart embedded in the man's chest.

Shocked, the henchman stared down at the dart. He dropped his crowbar.

The exposed light bulbs overhead provided the basement with only dim, flickering light, but Robin was able to clearly see that Batman and the other two henchman had been hit as well—Batman in the neck; one henchman in the arm and the other in the shoulder. Even in the poor lighting, Robin could see that the dart had pierced Batman's cowl.

Batman plucked the dart of his neck and examined it. Only one of the henchmen was able to pull their dart free before all three of them abruptly collapsed to the ground. Robin knelt beside the closest henchman.

"He's still breathing," the Titan announced. His worried masked eyes met the Dark Knight's. He didn't like the grim expression his mentor was wearing.

"Were you hit?" Batman asked.

Robin stood up and hurried over. "No. Are you okay? What is it? Did it penetrate your skin?"

The other two henchmen were groaning, holding their heads, and getting back to their feet. Robin whirled to face them. Apparently he'd held back too much afterall when trying to knock them out.

"Robin. You need to run," Batman said. "I'll hold them off."

"Are you crazy? There's no way I'm leaving you," Robin promised. He dashed forward and jumped into the air, landing a powerful kick that took down one of the recovering thugs. He spun and slammed his bo staff into the side of the other man, and then quickly swiped the henchman's ankles, causing the goon to fall hard to the floor. The henchman tried to get up, but Robin was quick to swat him back down. The man moaned and his head lolled to the side.

"See?" Robin turned around in time to see that Scarecrow had emerged from the shadows; in time to see his mentor hit the basement wall. Batman's body dropped lifelessly and lay on the cement floor half-hidden by his cape.

"No!" Robin ran and knelt by his side. He grabbed Batman by the shoulder, and with no small effort, managed to untwist the older hero, settling him flat on his back against the floor. To his relief, he found that Batman was breathing.

 _But he's unconscious. Is he poisoned? Is he dying?_ Robin's mind raced. He couldn't call Alfred; not with Scarecrow staring him down. Robin tried to keep his divided attention on both the villain and his injured mentor.

 _Maybe I should call the Titans. I can get Alfred to send them. No. They wouldn't even know where to go. Wait. Raven could find me with her soul self. No, there's no time for that. They'd just get lost or get here too late or worse; what if he has more of whatever he's done to Batman? I'll have to handle this alone. Antidotes are kept in R5 and R6._

Robin reached over Batman to open the fifth and sixth compartments on the right side of the Dark Knight's utility belt. There were several different vials; and Robin knew each of them.

 _But which one does he need?_ Robin looked up at Scarecrow, frowning to see that the two henchmen had regained their feet yet again and had come to stand on either side of the villain. All three were watching him and looking far too smug for comfort.

 **"Get the boy," Scarecrow ordered.**

Robin got back to his feet with his bo staff ready to defend both himself and his mentor. He positioned himself between Batman and the villains. His masked eyes flicked between Scarecrow, who was holding the scythe, and the two remaining henchmen.

"Give it up, kid. You don't stand a chance," sneered one of the ski-masked men through bloody teeth.

 _I can't use my flash discs—who knows how much C-4 he's placed in the room._ Robin swallowed. He wasn't about to leave Batman. He had to take care of these guys, subdue Scarecrow, and get Batman help—fast!

Robin spiked a smoke pellet into the floor. The gush of smoke billowed out, and while the henchmen coughed and swung blindly, Robin held his breath and performed a blind dance; swiping and bashing heads, legs—any body part that fell within the path of his bo staff. Seconds later when the smoke cleared the henchmen were on the floor again. Robin whirled to find Scarecrow, but two large hands clamped down on him instead.

Robin's arms felt like they were being wrenched from his shoulder sockets as they were twisted behind his back. He was ripped off of his feet by the harsh grip and violently thrown across the room. Robin cried out. He crashed into the floor and rolled several feet; managing to hold on to his bo staff. When his body stopped tumbling over the cement, Robin moaned and instinctively curled inward on himself. For a moment, he felt too sore and exhausted to even move, but then Scarecrow's footsteps drew near. For a split second, he was reminded of being thrown down the stairs; of the dust-induced hallucination trying to beat him to death, and the fear invoked by that visceral memory made his muscles move.

Robin forced himself from the ground and ran towards the villain with his bo staff raised. Scarecrow obliged and swung his scythe to eviscerate the suicidal teen, but Robin didn't dare strike at the scythe—knowing the blade would just cut his own weapon in half again. Instead, Robin evaded, the blade whistling through the air over his head, and drove his bo staff forward like a battering ram straight into the Scarecrow's stomach.

Gasping, Scarecrow stumbled back and snarled an irritated curse at the boy's refusal to just _go down._ Scarecrow recovered fast. He descended again on the Titan and swept his scythe down in a vertical arch.

Robin brought up his staff with both hands. This time he caught the scythe just below the blade at the handle so that both of their weapons were locked into a cross. Robin grit his teeth and his arms shook as Scarecrow put all of his effort into finishing the attack. The scythe's bladed tip hovered inches above Robin's face. Already tired from the long night, Robin's arms burned and the ache spread like fire down his back. The Titan knew his feet were in danger of sliding. If that happened, he could be killed instantly, if not seriously maimed. The pressure bearing down on him was just too great. Robin could feel one of his knees beginning to buckle.

Scarecrow switched tactics, breaking their deadlock and spinning his scythe so that the blunt end of the weapon caught Robin by the chin and sent the Boy Wonder flying backwards. Robin cried out and collided with the hard floor a second time.

His masked eyes opened and he froze. Scarecrow stood over him. The scythe's blade was inches from his face.

Scarecrow kept the weapon pointed at the boy, who was trapped on his back. "Let go of that staff. Take off your belt."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "No."

"Do it. Or I'll cut it off of you. I can't guarantee that you'll survive." Scarecrow placed the tip of his scythe against Robin's stomach.

Robin glared up at the villain. He glanced towards Batman, but the older hero hadn't moved.

"I've already killed one kid tonight," Scarecrow reminded without remorse. "I have no qualms about killing another. In fact, carving you in half would put a nice notch in my belt, don't you think, _Boy Wonder_? I could make a wonderful mess out of you right here."

Robin swallowed; his heart racing in his chest. Clearly Scarecrow wanted him alive, and that was better than being murdered on the spot. Maybe he could buy more time for Batman to wake up. His worry for the older hero increased with every second the Dark Knight remained unconscious.

"What was in that dart?" Robin asked. "Was it poison?"

"A sedative," Scarecrow replied with a grin, and Robin suppressed a shudder even as relief blossomed in his chest.

 _He's just tranq'd. He's not dying. He'll wake up._ Robin couldn't help but release a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _But why? Why would Scarecrow miss this opportunity to just kill him?_

"Do you want him to wake up to find you considerably shorter than before?" Scarecrow asked, losing his patience. "This is your last chance, boy. Release that staff and take off your belt."

The two henchmen were stirring.

 _Great,_ Robin thought, noticing them. He sighed. Knowing that Batman would wake up, he allowed the bo staff to roll out of his fingers and slowly unclasped his utility belt.

"Now get up. Leave your gadgets on the floor." Scarecrow withdrew his scythe and passed it to one of his henchmen. The injured man almost dropped it.

As soon as Robin was on his feet, the villain's hand—thankfully the one without needles attached—backhanded the Titan across the face so hard that Robin's vision swam black.

Robin cried out and stumbled backwards—his legs becoming tangled up and causing him to fall to his knees. He fought to stay conscious; afraid that he'd never wake up, or worse, he'd wake up and find Bruce dead if he passed out. Dazed from the pain still reverberating through his skull, Robin winced as he arms were again locked behind him. He felt rope coil and tighten across his chest, pinning his arms to his sides and tying his wrists together behind his back, and he noticed that Scarecrow no longer wore a noose around his neck. That was the last thing he noticed before his vision shrank to a pinpoint of light. He fought with everything to focus on that tiny light; knowing it was his last link to consciousness.

 ** _"Take him,"_ Scarecrow said, his voice full of malice and sounding far away. _"Leave the Bat."_**

* * *

Robin's shins and knees smacked into the basement stairs as he was dragged up them by two large hands. He was shoved forward into the narrow maintenance hall; then back into the room decorated like a nightmarish circus. He tried to dig his heels into the ground to slow their progress. His vision became more clear. He started to struggle despite the ropes wrapped around his arms and chest. The henchman responsible for him swore and hefted the Titan over his broad shoulder. Robin grunted and tried to kick free, but the henchman's arm locked over his legs.

"Where are we going?" the Titan demanded, angry and dazed. He heard the maintenance door slam shut. He struggled to twist off of the man's shoulder, but it only made it harder for Robin to breathe because of the ropes digging tightly into his chest.

Someone had turned the attraction on to warn Scarecrow of the heroes' presence. Now the ride was going full tilt. Demonic big top music blasted in the room. The animatronic clowns had been brought to life by the gears churning below. They cackled and raked their bloody hands towards the tracks. The noise and the disco lights now scattering spotlights of color across the room only added to Robin's disorientation.

 _Got to focus._ Robin glanced at the other thug. The man was having a hard time carrying the scythe. The weapon was way too long and heavy for the short henchman to handle.

Irritated, Scarecrow snapped, "Keep up, fool! Or you'll burn with the Bat. We must make our exit before he regains consciousness."

"What about Moe and Johnny and all the other guys we left down below?" the henchman carrying Robin asked.

"You're welcome to hand me the boy and go join them," Scarecrow replied, leading the way through the nightmarish circus.

"What are you planning, Scarecrow?" Robin asked.

Scarecrow slowed down his gait enough so that he was behind the henchman carrying Robin; so that he could see the boy's face.

Smirking behind his clothsack mask, the villain said, "Once we're outside, I'm going to bury the Bat alive. When he inevitably digs himself free from the rubble, he'll emerge only to find himself permanently short one very annoying sidekick."

They passed through the dark corridor. The skeleton hands brushed against their heads.

In the darkness, Robin tried to mask his fear as he said, "You're crazy to let him live."

"But I need him to live," Scarecrow said, delight and cruelty woven together in his voice. "I need to see his face when he sees what I've done to you."

They made their way quickly through the room decorated to resemble a haunted cemetery. With the ride activated, the moans of zombies and a howling wind played from hidden speakers. The zombie animatronics writhed and twisted about.

 _I have to stop him from leaving._ Summoning all the strength he had left, Robin drove his shoulder hard into the neck of the henchman carrying him. He was dropped as the man choked for air.

Robin hit the ground beside a tombstone. He tried to scamper away, but the Scarecrow was on him in seconds, using his legs to pin Robin's and trapping the hero on his back beneath him. Under the Scarecrow's weight and still bound by the ropes, Robin couldn't move; he could barely breathe.

Scarecrow leaned over the tied up teenager. One of his hands pressed around Robin's throat. His fear gauntlet hovered over the boy's face.

"You're too much trouble this way," Scarecrow remarked, "but before I make you senseless with fear, I want you to know what's going to happen to you tonight."

Exhausted from the long night, Robin nonetheless glared up at man crushing him into the floor.

"I already know how this night ends!" he snapped. "It ends with us taking you back to Arkham!"

"Your faith in the Dark Knight is almost mind numbing." Scarecrow held his fear gauntlet closer to Robin's face; its needle-fingers twitching like spider legs. "I don't believe you're up to date on your vaccines, boy. Shall we remedy that?"

Robin grimaced and pressed his face against the cemetery grass.

"—But first, I want you to know, I saved some barbed wire from the Narrows. I saved it just for you," Scarecrow told him; his pale eyes searching Robin's face for a response. "I'm going to wrap you in barbed wired and leave you as a present under that big Christmas tree in front of the courthouse. How does that sound?"

"I'm not scared of you," Robin snapped, although is heart was racing, and his voice had cracked.

Scarecrow laughed and injected Robin's shoulder with a sickly yellow toxin.

"I call it _Paranoia._ Do you like it?" Scarecrow asked, observing as the young hero's face contorted in pain. "It makes your worst fears given the specific environment come to life. You've had a modified taste of it before, I believe."

Robin hoped the antitoxin in his system would help.

But the zombies spread throughout the room began to whisper his name. Robin looked past Scarecrow and saw that their eyes glowed bright red and their slack-jawed, mutilated faces all shifted to focus on _him._

 _Oh no!_ Robin squeezed his eyes shut. The sound of gears snapping and breaking filled the room as the zombie animatronics broke free from the floor. They lurched over the faux grass—their finger grasping. They would rip Robin's arms and legs from his torso. They were animatronics, but they would try to eat him anyway! They'd take hideous bites and chew him up in their metal teeth!

"Please, boy, tell me what you're seeing and hearing," the Scarecrow taunted; his needles drumming against Robin's shoulder as he leaned down to speak softly into the Titan's ear. "Tell me what you're feeling. This is for science."

 **And then the ceiling was on fire.**

" _What?"_ Scarecrow gasped and his weight disappeared from Robin's legs.

 _"Did a bomb go off early?"_ a panicked goon asked.

" _The building is on fire! Move, fools! It will trigger the C-4!"_ Scarecrow was screaming, but his voice was almost lost in the cacophony of noise that surrounded Robin—the sound of the zombies crowding around him—their metal teeth gnashing. Their whispers engulfed him like a howling wind. They became so loud he was sure his ears were bleeding.

He felt the first one snatch hold of him, ripping through the ropes that bound him and grabbing him up by the hoodie as the bindings fell away. Robin tried to recoil, but the zombie dragged him upright and bit into his neck.

Robin hissed at the stinging sensation. It felt like a wasp sting, or a needle. He moaned and fell backwards as he was released.

 _It was a needle! Batman must have escaped!_ Robin's masked eyes sought out the Dark Knight, but it was not Batman standing over him, silently regarding him as fire rolled across the ceiling.

"Slade?"

A piece of the ceiling suddenly broke loose and smashed into the floor on the far side of the room. Robin gasped, and in that moment, his hallucination of Slade disappeared. Robin sat up and looked around. Scarecrow and the henchmen were gone.

 _Is the room really on fire?_ The flames licked the walls. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat from the intense heat. The zombies were no longer attacking him.

Robin shook his head to dispel whatever other illusion might still attack his brain thanks to the Scarecrow's injection. _The antidote must still be working. Maybe it just took it a while to fight off the dust a second time. First I see zombies and then Slade. Ugh…_

Robin shook his head again, trying to snap out of the fog shrouding his brain. He coughed as smoke filled the room. He looked up at the blazing fire that covered the ceiling again. His eyes burned behind his mask. The fire seemed to have begun on the attraction's roof, perhaps from an unexpected C-4 explosion, and was quickly making its way down. Once the heat grew too close to the basement, Robin knew the C-4 he'd seen before would explode. His eyes widened at the realization and finally the shroud lifted from his brain and he was able to think clearly.

 _I've got to get Batman!_

Robin scrambled to his feet and ran back through the cemetery, through the dark corridor, and into the nightmarish circus.

Flames rolled down the walls and licked the corners of the floor. Robin kept low to the ground, trying to stay out of the curtain of smoke that grew thicker every second. He used his hoodie's thick red sleeve to shield his mouth and found the hidden door. He grabbed the handle. It was hot! He recoiled and shook his hand. In his haste, he'd failed to notice that the metal knob was glowing red. More of the ceiling fell in. The fire cracked and roared all around him. There was no time to be careful. Without hesitation, Robin grabbed the red-hot handle again and yanked the door open, this time with his left hand. Pain seared through his glove like scalding water. The heat burned his palm and fingers. Stifling a cry, the Titan raced through the maintenance hall and halfway down the basement stairs. The Haunted House groaned in warning. Sweat poured down the Boy Wonder's back, and, lightheaded, he gripped the railing for support.

"Batman!" Robin saw his mentor at the bottom of the stairs. Batman had used the Batclaw to drag his body across the floor. The older hero groggily looked up at Robin.

"Move!" Batman ordered, and with what seemed like great effort, lifted and pointed the weapon towards the top of the staircase.

Robin flattened against the stairwell wall just as the Batclaw's razor sharp ends shot past him. Seconds later, Batman was pulled from the death trap, snatching Robin as he zipped past.

 **They made their way back through the maintenance hall.**

"Are you okay? He said it was just a sedative. Is that true?" Robin asked, both of his hands supporting his mentor.

"Yes," Batman assured as they reentered the circus. "Stay low."

By the time they reached the fake cemetery, both heroes were coughing hard. Robin's burned hand shook from the pain seared into his skin

 **Near the ride's entrance, they found Scarecrow and his henchmen lying unconscious on the floor.**

"They must have passed out from smoke inhalation," Robin figured.

Batman, who had regained most of his strength, helped the Boy Wonder pull the villains to safety. Outside, they were met with a frantic park security guard and the sound of approaching sirens.

"We have to get further away," Batman warned the man. "There's an unknown amount of C-4 in the basement. It could blow at any moment."

* * *

 **The Haunted House went up in a brilliant explosion. Its remains burned under the pink, overcast morning sky. The henchmen were left tied up for the police. Outside of the the park, Batman loaded an unconscious, secured Scarecrow into the passenger seat of the Batmobile.** **He handed Scarecrow's fear gauntlet to Robin.**

"Lucius might like to have a look at this thing."

Robin agreed and went to place the terrible weapon in the Batmobile's trunk.

"How's the hand?" Batman asked. He'd given the boy a salve from his utility belt to apply to the wound. Now Robin's glove-less, burned left hand was wrapped up in bandages.

"It hurts, but it'd be a lot worse if not for Dr. Leslie. What'd you do to yourself that made her have to go and invent that salve, anyway?" Robin put his helmet on and climbed onto his motorcycle, which they'd picked up before heading to Amusement Mile.

"It involved Firefly."

Robin smirked. He dreaded having to grip the handlebars of his bike, but he hoped the salve would make a difference. He gave the handlebar a test squeeze and was relieved to find only a dull throb of pain.

"This stuff really is awesome. I'll have to give Dr. Leslie a thank you call."

"Don't bother. Alfred already left her a message asking if she can come by the manor later," Batman said, slipping into the driver's side of his car.

"Yeah. She works hard enough as it is. I don't want to get her up this early either." Robin's words almost swallowed up by a breakneck yawn.

"It's been a long night. I'll take Crane to Arkham. You can head on home," Batman told him.

Robin shook his head, not wanting to look like a sleepy little kid, and cranked up his bike. "I'm fine. Let's get this creep to Arkham."

* * *

 **Late the next morning, the other groggy Titans congregated one by one in the living room. None of them had slept especially well, and even though they were wired to rise early for combat practice, the teen heroes had all slept deeply into the morning hours.**

 **Neither Alfred nor Robin made an appearance, so eventually the group decided to seek out the Boy Wonder themselves.**

"His light is on, and look, the door isn't locked," Cyborg said as he gently twisted the metal knob.

"Yes, but it is not opened either," Starfire said, putting herself between the door and her friends. "Perhaps we should not bother Robin if he does not wish to yet join us. He may not even be in his room, and what will Robin think if he returns to find us doing _the snooping_ in his absence?"

"You mean _Richard._ And he's definitely in there," Raven said, concentrating harder a moment. "Asleep. And injured."

Starfire spun and opened the door.

"Star!" Cyborg tried, but it was too late. She went straight inside.

"You mean _Kori_ ," Beast Boy playfully said, and Cyborg groaned. The rest of the Titans followed after Starfire.

"Robin?" The alien girl asked softly. Hovering just above the floor, Starfire crossed the room to his bed as the other Titans glanced curiously around Robin's bedroom. As it turned out, the light was not on, but the room was filled with bright natural light streaming in from the room's massive windows.

He was lying on his back with his left arm resting on top of the covers. She saw that he wore a long-sleeve, white shirt and his eyes were unmasked, but his hair was wild, as if he'd taken a shower and jumped right into the bed without bothering to dry his hair. Starfire's hand hovered over the square bandage that covered most of Robin's right cheek. Some gauze and more bandages were wrapped around his left hand; including his fingers.

Gazing down at their friend, Cyborg frowned. "Must have been a wild night."

"Hey Robin, you getting up today?" Beast Boy poked the sleeping vigilante before the other Titans could stop him, but to all of their surprise, Robin did not stir.

Beast Boy scratched the back of his head. "Uh, anybody else find it weird that he hasn't woken up and flung an explosive disc or something at us yet?"

Raven brushed lightly against Robin's mind and saw flashes of the previous night. She sensed a strong current of regret, a coldness that made her shiver, and the echo of blistering pain that seared across her left hand. She shifted her focus to the room itself and saw the residual energy of an elderly woman, probably a doctor, tending to Robin's hand earlier that morning. Raven could sense that Bruce Wayne had also been in the room, and she had the strong impression that Robin had slept through the doctor's visit.

"It's all right, Beast Boy," Raven assured. "He's just exhausted."

"But he sleeps too deeply. He does not realize we are here. What could be wrong?" Starfire placed the back of her hand against his forehead, as she'd seen Earthlings do to the sick many times on TV. Robin did not feel too warm or cold, so she withdrew her hand, frowning at his stillness.

"Yeah, his super ninja senses should be waking him up even if he's tired, or something like that, right?" Beast Boy asked.

"I think Raven's right," Cyborg said, keeping his tone hushed. "Looks like our boy just had a rough night. And a long one, too. Now if _we_ could've been there with him, then maybe—"

"—Pardon me, but breakfast is ready," Alfred invited from Robin's door, making the teenagers jump. "I assure you that Master Richard is fine. Just a nick on the face, and he managed to burn his hand saving a certain other masked vigilante. It was quite heroic from what I've heard. I'm sure he'll tell you all about it once he's rested. As you can see, he's extremely fatigued. So please, I implore you all to follow me."

"I can help," Raven offered, meeting Alfred's gaze. "I have some healing abilities."

Alfred allowed a small smile. "That would be most appreciated, Ms. Rachel. Very well, but if the rest of you would follow me, there is enough food on the table to feed a small army brunch, and I would hate for such an amount to go to waste."

Cyborg's stomach growled, but he glanced down again at his sleeping friend. _Well… I guess it's all right. He's just scraped up a bit._ "Come on Gar. Kori. Alfred's right. We need to let Richie Rich here catch up on his beauty sleep. Plus… I think I smell waffles. And ham!"

"Eww!" Beast Boy groaned, following Cyborg and Alfred into the hall. "You made vegetarian food again, too, right, uh, sir?"

As they left, Raven sat beside Robin on the bed and took his injured hand, mentally preparing herself to absorb his pain into her own body.

She noticed Starfire lingering and said, "It's fine. He wasn't badly injured. He just depleted his body's resources and now it's recovering."

"Yes, but what was Robin doing that made him use all of his 'resources'?" Starfire wondered. What kind of danger led to such an outcome? _If only I had been there, perhaps he would not be so injured._

"There's no use worrying about it now," Raven replied. "He'll tell us later."

"Can you not tell me now, Raven?" Starfire asked. "Can you not look into Robin's memories?"

Raven shook her head. "Call me _Rachel._ And I've already invaded _Richard's_ privacy enough. Just be patient."

Reluctant, the alien girl nodded. "Perhaps I am doing the repeated reacting. Thank you, _Rachel_ , for helping him. I am most grateful and I know that _Richard_ will be as well. I will go join the others and continue practicing our average citizen names."

 **Without an audience at last, Raven found her center and began chanting.**

 **" _Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._ "**

* * *

Several minutes later, Robin awoke with a sharp intake of breath. Seeing Raven holding his left hand, he sat up and asked, "That didn't hurt you too bad, did it?"

Raven gave the hint of a smile; releasing him. "It's fine. …You also had a fractured rib and a bullet graze on your right shoulder. That was a pretty nasty cut on your face, too."

"Yeah, one of Scarecrow's goons was wearing a ring. It felt like an oversized papercut," he said, laughing it off. Robin stretched his jaw, no longer feeling the little skitters of pain he'd experienced the night before when he moved his mouth. He peeled off the square bandage and touched where his cheek had been sliced. It was still cold from Raven's power caressing over his now smooth skin.

"You saw death last night. Real and imagined," she said quietly. _And Slade._

She frowned; unhappy, but perhaps not surprised, that her friend was still haunted by the villain.

Robin thought back to his hallucinations… to the Narrows, and realized that the memories didn't bother him as much. He remembered them, but they seemed distant and unable to evoke anything close to the fear or shock he'd experienced in the moment.

"Did you…?"

"I can absorb energy, too," she answered. "Did it help?"

Robin smiled. "That's so amazing. Wow, Rae. I had no idea you could affect people's memories."

"I didn't do anything to your memories." Raven tried to think of how to best explain what she'd done. "You were carrying dark energy. Your memories helped me understand where it was coming from, so I absorbed some of the fear you felt, and some of the emptiness, too, until your aura looked normal again."

"My aura? You can see auras?"

"Of course. ...If I want to. Yours is usually red," she told him, knowing from the curious expression on his face that he was about to ask.

Robin grinned. "Sweet. Um. That's a good color, right?"

"Are you a good person?"

"I'd like to think so."

"Red tells me you're competitive, energetic, and a problem-solver; a natural leader," Raven said. "But anyone who gets to know you will see that without the ability to see auras, Robin."

"Maybe, but it's still cool that you can see them," Robin told her, "and that you can heal people like this. Just imagine what you'll be able to do if you keep practicing," he added with excitement for her.

"Only… I wish you didn't have to absorb the pain yourself." Robin frowned. "I wonder if there's a way for you not to have to feel it."

Raven shook her head. "No. My empathy powers the ability. You're right, though. The more times I try to heal someone either physically or spiritually, the easier it's becoming."

She looked down at her hands and gave them a small, satisfied smile as she thought of Trigon. _You thought I could only bring suffering to those around me, but someday, people will see me as a powerful healer and protector._

"Thanks again for your help," Robin said. "So, was the movie any good?"

Raven gave a noncommittal shrug. "The others liked it. It was a comedy."

"Speaking of—"

"They're eating brunch. We came to check on you," she told him. "Alfred convinced them to go eat."

"Eating sounds like a great idea," Robin said, moving to slip off his bed, but Raven shot out a pale hand, pressing it flat to his chest.

"No. You need to rest. You're only awake now because there are remnants of my power still affecting your body. You're actually exhausted, and your body needs to restore its reserves," Raven explained. "Whatever Batman and you were doing last night, you pushed your body past its limit."

"A lot went down," Robin admitted. "It was a long night. And I think it's not even close to whatever Scarecrow was planning."

"You can worry about that later," Raven said. "For now you should lie down and sleep."

"I really feel—

Four red eyes flashed through the illusion of Rachel Roth, and Robin slumped forward. Raven caught her friend with both hands and eased him back down onto the mattress. She left his room, using her powers to draw the heavy curtains closed and to lock the door.

* * *

 **That evening after dinner, the Titans were gathered in the living room, watching the local news along with Alfred. Since neither Bruce nor Robin had made an appearance all day, the butler had told the Titans all about the previous night to the best of his ability.**

"Wow, they chased that dude all over the city," Beast Boy said.

"Shh!" Cyborg turned the TV up. "She's talking about it again."

"— _but back to our main story, Tom. Our camera caught this exclusive footage of Batman and Robin swinging off into the night after saving both hospitals from the Scarecrow's nefarious plans. That's right, Gotham—the Boy Wonder is back in town! Countless lives were saved, but who can know for how long? Just minutes ago we received word that the Scarecrow has escaped from Arkham Asylum and his whereabouts are currently unknown. That's right folks; the Prince of Terror is loose again tonight. Police Commissioner Gordon will release a statement on the matter shortly. We have to break for commercial, but stay with us, Gotham! I'm Vicki Vale, reporting live in front of Gotham City Hospital."_

"Arkham couldn't keep him for even _one_ night?" Robin, dressed as Dick Grayson, groaned from one of the adjacent stairs that led down into the living room.

"Robin!" Starfire zipped over to him. She realized her mistake and immediately her feet touched the ground. "Richard! We have missed your company! Come; tell us more about how your _K'norfka_ and you were victorious over the Scary Crowman who terrorized the City of Gotham last night!"

After telling the team most of everything he remembered (leaving out the part about the Narrows, and about the henchman he'd seen crushed in the Haunted House's basement), Robin added, "I'm just glad there was enough aerial antidote. Otherwise, a lot of innocent people could've died at the hospitals."

"A frightening thought," Alfred agreed. "Are you feeling better, Master Richard?"

"Perfect, thanks to Rachel." Robin smiled at his fellow Titan. She blushed a little and self-consciously tucked a strand of white holohair behind her ear.

"Is there anything to eat?" Robin asked.

Alfred scoffed and gestured for the boy to follow. He glanced at the other Titans. "Would the rest of you care for hot chocolate? It might help knock out the chill."

As they all followed Alfred to the kitchen, Cyborg looked down at Robin and asked, "Are you sure he can't live at the Tower? Pleeeeeeeease?"

* * *

 **Not long after sunset, Bruce made his brief appearance for the evening. He called Robin up from the living room and into the foyer.**

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Robin asked, frowning. "Or even all of us. The Titans could've really helped last night."

Bruce looked past his ward to the living room. The other teenagers were laughing and talking, drinking hot chocolate, and apparently striking up a board game. It was a Who-Done-It game called _Murders and Mysteries_. It had been Bruce's, then Robin's. Bruce figured Alfred must have shown the old board game to one of the Titans.

Bruce smiled, placing a large hand on Robin's shoulder. "I think you should stay here with them tonight."

"But—"

"Don't worry. I'm fairly sure we apprehended most of his supply. If he had plans beyond the hospitals, they're probably delayed," Bruce assured. "I'm just going to take some extra antitoxin to Gordon and see if I can learn more about who helped Scarecrow escape."

"Lucius is making more, right? Liquid and aerial?" Robin asked, to which Bruce nodded.

"Better safe than sorry, but seriously, Dick, try to put it out of your mind. Go have fun with your friends." Bruce let go of his ward's shoulder and gestured towards the other Titans.

"All right," Robin said. He then shot the man a serious look. "But be safe. And call if you need us."

 _Yes sir,_ Bruce thought, amused, but nodded once again.

Satisfied, Robin finally took his guardian's advice. Bruce watched the boy run, slide down a staircase banister, and flip through the air to land amongst his friends, who were all seated around the coffee table to play the board game. Their cheer at Robin's arrival brought a smile to the billionaire's face.

* * *

 **1)** Dr. Leslie is borrowed from _Batman: TAS._


	6. Apprentice

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. D:

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Six: Apprentice**

* * *

"Thank you, sir, for protecting the city."

Slade paused from scanning the rooftops and looked down to find a boy who appeared half the age of Robin beaming up at him.

He returned the boy's friendly smile. "You're welcome, young man."

Slade then furrowed his brow, feigning concern as he asked, "But where are your parents?"

The dark-haired boy pointed across the street. "My mom's right over there. She's the lady in the green coat. My name's Ryan. What happened to your eye? Did you get hurt saving someone? My dad's a policeman, too, but he can't walk anymore. His legs got all messed up when a mud monster crushed his police car. He started a club for hurt police officers. Are you in his club? You can join if you want to. Why are you wearing a bullet-proof vest? My dad never wears his anymore. Not unless he's really sure bad guys are around. _Are there_ bad guys around?"

"Always," Slade told the boy; his gaze having returned to the rooftops.

He needed to get up there.

 **So Slade climbed high above the cold streets of Gotham, and standing atop the roof of an old cathedral, he regarded the city.**

The towering skyline was awe-inspiring; so old, so gothic. The city was spread out below—a mirror image of the night sky, but Slade knew there was rot beneath the glitter. Gotham was a dark, dangerous place. It was his kind of place.

But it was too crowded. There were too many gangland politics. Too many psychopaths trying to destroy everything on a near-nightly basis, and while chaos could be thrilling, he preferred to be the master of his own environment.

Unfortunately, the Hand of Fate had never cared much for the whims of Slade Wilson, and as he watched the city for any signs of Gotham's Dark Knight, grim memories crept up from the depths of his mind.

* * *

 _Slade knew before entering the house that he was too late, and even debated entering at all._

 _The security system was disabled. The door was open. The dog was dead._

 _When he found her, Adeline was curled up in the center of her king-sized bed half-swallowed by the sheets. Her arms embraced one of her large pillows as if it were a lover. A single shot to the head had ended her life._

 _Holding her, Slade could tell she'd only been dead for a few hours, but she was gone nonetheless. And this time she was gone forever. There would be no next time; no more chances for reconciliation, or even true forgiveness. The world had lost its Adeline._

 _Down the hall Slade found their daughter in a similar state, except her face had been covered by one of her pink pillows before the execution. He set the pillow aside. Rose's right eye was an obliterated mess. He wondered if Fate alone was responsible, or if the shooter had deliberately shot her in that eye. It was a grisly sight._

 _And yet, other than bullet wound marring half of her young face, and the blood dried in her long, white hair, the girl looked peaceful; like a sleeping princess in a fairy-tale book. And Slade couldn't help but notice that unlike their other children, Rose shared more of Adeline's features. He'd seen pictures of the girl, and he'd had his doubts about her being his, but there was no denying it upon seeing her in person—the girl was definitely his daughter. And like her mother, she was gone._

* * *

 **He caught up again to Batman at last. He found him in an alley far below. Standing on a parapet, Slade watched Batman converse with the city's police commissioner. He couldn't hear what they were saying** **, but he was sure that the two were discussing the half-naked body contorted at their feet.**

It was a man whose arms and legs were bound tightly together by barbed wire. It was the same man he'd watched the Dark Knight interrogate outside of a bar called _The Dive_ the previous night, when Batman and Slade's first apprentice were chasing the Scarecrow all over the city. Curiously, but to Slade's satisfaction, the boy had been left behind this time. It was well enough considering how many times he'd almost been killed the night before.

From what Slade could tell, the man in the alley had been strangled to death by the barbed wire twisted around (and into) his neck, but there were other wounds, too. The man's shirt had been sliced off and thrown aside. Across his chest the killer had carved an evil smiley face.

Slade noted that the carving was sloppy. It'd been done with haste.

His son's mutilation, however, had been done with care.

* * *

 _After finding Adeline and Rose, Slade traveled to the serene, snow-capped mountains of Tibet and found his youngest son slumped beneath the generous shade of an old tree. The steady, gentle wind brushed over the soft mountain grass and ruffled the boy's blonde, curly hair. Joseph's blackened fingers rested over the strings of his guitar. Streaks of dried blood caked either side of his nose and cheeks, and had dripped down to crust over the white turtleneck he wore to hide the old scars that disfigured his throat._

 _Like his mother and sister, a bullet had ripped through the boy's head in a clean, efficient kill. Unlike them, however, someone had carved the word **NINE** in large, capital letters into the boy's forearm. Upon seeing that word cut with such precision so deeply into his son's tender flesh, Slade lost control of the hate and anger he kept always under tight control. His scream made every creature on the mountain grow still. The woods became deathly quiet. Even the breeze faltered._

 _It was through sheer luck that no animal had found the boy and mauled his decaying remains. Based on the carpet of maggots crawling across Joseph's chest and stomach, Slade figured his son had been dead for at least four days._

* * *

 **Such memories threatened his focused calm, but Slade could only suppress them; he could not forget.**

He kept statue still as he watched the Dark Knight grapple up to a rooftop and sprint across; running with practiced ease despite the ice and the severe slant of the roof. He didn't dare move until the hero was several buildings away. He didn't want to risk attracting Batman's attention. Not yet, anyway, and Slade knew without a doubt that it didn't matter that he wasn't dressed as Deathstroke. If the Dark Knight saw him, Slade knew he'd be recognized and the game would be up.

And frankly, as far as such games went, Slade was determined to win the next round.

When he was satisfied with the distance between himself and Batman, Slade took a deep breath and a running jump off of the parapet. He stumbled into a landing on the adjacent roof and did his damnedest to ignore the sharp, electric pain the impact shot through his legs. He smothered his anger and frustration. Both ache and fatigue plagued his body, but dwelling on his injuries would accomplish nothing, so he focused instead on shadowing Batman. It was no easy feat. The Dark Knight was making a quick path through the city.

But Slade followed. His leaps and jumps were anything but graceful, but he managed to keep pace with the vigilante. More than once, the cleats on his winter boots were the only things that kept Slade from slipping right off the icy rooftops as he struggled to keep Batman within his sights while at the same time maintaining a healthy space between them. As he chased down the hero, a sharp pain began to grow in Slade's chest. The wounds crossing his back sent hideous skitters of pain through his muscles. And bitter memories rose again to the forefront of his mind.

* * *

 _Tracking down Grant took the longest; not because Slade was unaware of the boy's general location, but because Grant was always on the move._

 _Slade at last found him dressed as Red X and half-buried in the snow on a rooftop in Dakota City. Holding the body, he peeled the blood-stiffened head mask up and over the boy's swollen head. The cold had slowed down the boy's decomposition enough that Grant was still recognizable, but Slade could tell that hi_ _s son had been deceased for well over a week._

 _Unlike the others, Slade was sure that Grant had seen the kill coming._

 _It'd taken one shot in the leg to slow the boy down and a second one to Grant's face to finish him._

* * *

 **Ahead, Batman dropped down to street level and Slade paused, panting hard as he caught his breath.**

The pain in his chest made it difficult to breathe. If he could slow his heart rate and his breathing down, he knew that the pain would subside. For several deliberate breaths he listened hard for the Batmobile, and sure enough, Slade finally heard the now-familiar engine roar to life.

His gaze followed the sound until he saw the sleek vehicle race across Memorial Bridge, back towards the home of Bruce Wayne. His eye narrowed.

It appeared Batman was clocking out early.

A small part of Slade wondered if the veteran hero had sensed his presence in the city, or if Batman somehow _knew_ from sheer instinct that it was unwise to leave the nest unguarded for too long.

It was more likely that Batman was still tired from the previous night, and Slade felt sure that the Dark Knight's focus was on Scarecrow, or on finding the rest of the Dust, or _Paranoia,_ or whatever that lunatic Crane had dubbed his latest machination.

 _If he knew of my presence he would confront me directly,_ Slade figured. _And... he_ _wouldn't have left the boy alone in the Narrows._

But sticking close to the nest probably was the best idea, so Slade followed; his eye focused on the distant lights of the manor beyond; his mind turning back to dark thoughts as he made his way through the city.

 **Before he'd found any of his family murdered, before he'd known that something was wrong, he'd gone to retrieve Wintergreen.**

* * *

 _Slade figured the old man had been frozen long enough and would, perhaps, finally admit that working with the likes of the Brain was a terribly stupid mistake._

 _He'd found his friend partially thawed and sagging, but still imprisoned along with the rest of the Brotherhood of Evil. The preserved villains were trapped in glass tubes that filled one wall of the Brain's lair. Slade sneered at the sight of them. Such a fate served them right. They'd all been so quick to let the Brain do their thinking for them._

 _Slade did not realize that Wintergreen's tube was damaged until he stood directly before him. There was a hole in the glass and a matching one seared through his old friend's wrinkled forehead. A steady stream of what looked like smoke was escaping the puncture in the glass._

 ** _Slade's fist shot through the thick glass, shattering it. He snatched Wintergreen by the collar. Leaning close he glared at the open, frozen eyes, the slacked mouth, and growled—_**

 **" _Didn't I tell you to stay out of this?"_**

 _Before taking his friend's body and leaving the frozen menagerie of defeated villains (all still alive, all left unscathed by Wintergreen's executioner), Slade found the glass tube containing the H.I.V.E. Headmistress._

 _She was the one who'd come between them, and thus had played her part. Slade_ _used Professor Chang's machine to unfreeze her, and as the older woman coughed and stumbled out of her tube, she looked up just in time to see Slade fire. He did not stop shooting until the clip was emptied. Full of hate, he kicked her body and watched it fall to the arena far below._

* * *

 **When Slade finally made it back to the manor, he found the home of Bruce Wayne darkened and quiet.**

The Titans had put away their board game and the flickering glow of a movie flashed across their young faces. He retook his position; a vantage point that allowed him to see both the manor and to keep his eye towards the city. As the night hours passed, the icy wind picked up and began to howl around the manor and the snow-covered sea cliffs. Slade was not used to requiring much sleep, but he found himself grateful for the freezing wind and snow because it was impossible to sleep in such cold, and for the first time in years, he felt exhausted. Sleep was not option. Not yet.

His "borrowed" police combat uniform offered some insulation from the weather, but it could not compare to the protection his armor would have provided. For now, however, his body was in no condition to wear such heavy equipment, so Slade accepted the cold as at least useful in helping him maintain his vigilance. So he watched and waited, knowing full well that the moment was coming while at the same time having no way to predict or control its arrival.

* * *

 **The December chill could not reach the inside of the manor. It was warm and cozy thanks to the grand fireplace that Alfred had lit before retiring for the evening. Starfire loved the soft orange glow that the flickering light cast over the living room and the peaceful, sleeping faces of her friends. It was so good to be together; to be happy and safe in the City of Gotham.**

Since finishing the board game (which Raven had won, and Beast Boy had accused her of cheating at—insisting that she'd read all of their minds), the Titans had piled together onto the living room's furniture and watched two scary movies. One by one Starfire had noticed her friends drifting off. She'd gently taken the remote control from Cyborg's hand and turned off the entertainment center upon realizing she was the only one left awake.

And since she was not yet tired, Starfire chose instead to enjoy the peaceful moment she found herself in. She rested her head once more against Robin's shoulder and felt his chest rise and fall beneath her hand. After claiming the middle of the couch, he'd fallen asleep first despite having slept all day, and she had refused to let anyone wake him (or to let Beast Boy play a prank. The shapeshifter had strongly desired to draw on Robin's face with a permanent marker, but Starfire had threatened to blast him into a pile of _glor'ka_ should he try).

Curled up against Robin, Starfire's contented green eyes looked past him to where Raven slept; slumped against the couch's other corner with her arms wrapped around herself. Starfire wondered if the young sorceress was cold.

Cyborg snored softly in the recliner. During a scary moment of the last movie, Beast Boy had shapeshifted into a ferret and scampered up to the older teen's shoulder. Now the green ferret slept curled up there and drooling on his folded paws. His tail occasionally flicked across Cyborg's face and was sleepily knocked away as Cy grumbled in his sleep. Starfire giggled softly.

Minutes passed, and Starfire's eyes grew tired. She had just closed them when her ears detected whispering. Curious, Starfire lifted her head from Robin's shoulder and watched her friend Raven speak soft, almost inaudible words.

In a hushed voice, she asked, "What are you witching, Raven?"

Raven did not open her eyes. "A spell of protection," she replied quietly. "…I had a vision. It wasn't good."

Starfire bit her lip. "Are you perhaps in danger again? ...Has the Trigon returned?"

"It's… hard to explain," Raven replied, cracking one eye open to glance at the alien girl, "but I think we should stay away from the windows. I think something's watching, maybe even hunting us. Or maybe just me." _I hope it's just me._

Despite her worry, Starfire offered Raven a reassuring smile. "There is no reason to be fearful. We are together, and if anyone dares to strike us here then surely we will be victorious. Plus we have Robin's _K'norfka_ and his Alfred to assist should such a need arise."

Raven couldn't imagine Alfred being much help against interdimensional demons. She sighed.

"I think—" Raven paused; her gaze flicking to Robin.

He groggily rubbed his eyes. "Did the movie go off?"

"It has," Starfire said, smiling brightly at what she thought of as his _adorable sleepiness_. "Are you finally well rested?"

"Defintely." Robin glanced around at their sleeping friends, and then to the huge, decorative clock on the fireplace mantle. It was half past three in the morning.

"I guess Alfred decided to let us camp out here tonight," he said, matching their soft voices.

"It appears so." Starfire caught him looking towards Gotham, and added, "Your _K'norfka_ returned hours ago. He is surely asleep by now."

Robin smiled at her, but then a chill flashed across his skin. Robin shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. As if compelled, he looked to Raven.

Robin frowned at the serious way she was regarding the living room's arched windows.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Raven has had an ominous dream," Starfire explained.

"It wasn't a _dream_ ," Raven corrected, meeting their eyes. "It was a _vision_."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Unease crawled over Robin's skin. He did his best not to show it.

 _Is Raven making me feel like this? Am I feeling what she feels?_ he wondered, casting a nervous glance towards the windows.

Starfire agreed. "Yes, please share. We would not want a repeating of what happened last time you did not speak to us of your scared feelings."

Scratching the back of his head, Robin smirked despite how uneasy he felt. "Yeah… Bruce wouldn't like it if the house turned into a scary movie like the Tower did."

"This isn't like that," Raven told him. "I didn't have a bad dream because of the movies we watched tonight. This was different. I thought it was real while it was happening, but when I woke up I knew—it was just like the one I had about Trigon turning everyone to stone. _This_ was a premonition of things to come."

"Then you should definitely tell us what you saw," Robin said.

Raven nodded. "We were watching the first movie when the vision started. Suddenly the TV shut off. The manor went completely dark, and I realized I was alone. Everyone had vanished. I called out but none of you answered, so I looked for you. I checked all over the manor. When I got to your room, Robin, the air became so cold that I could see my breath. Then I noticed there was something strange about your windows."

Starfire twined her fingers around Robin's as she listened.

"I walked up to them. They were frosted over, but I could see something moving in the darkness outside. Then I saw them," Raven said, glancing again at the living room's massive windows before returning Robin's gaze.

"What did you see?" he asked.

Raven swallowed. "Something with long arms. It had lots of arms... And then it shoved its face right up against the window. I screamed and blasted it with my powers. Glass went everywhere. Snow was getting in your room. I went outside through the broken window and saw the thing again, but it wasn't _in_ the dark. It _was_ the dark. And it was covered in red eyes. The darkness and the eyes were everywhere. They were all around the manor; pressing against the glass. Some of the eyes saw me and before I could even think to fight back the darkness had snared around my arms and feet."

"What do you believe such a terrible vision means?" Starfire asked; nestling closer to Robin as she, too, sent a wary glance towards the frosted windows and the darkness beyond.

"I think something's watching," Raven said. "But there's more. I also saw a figure in the ocean. It was shaped like a man. He was running across the water and carried an impossible sword—one I'm sure was far too big for any normal human to lift. I knew he was coming straight for me. His footsteps made the water turn bright red."

"Do you think you're in danger, Raven?" Robin asked. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I think we should be careful. We need to wake up the others."

* * *

 **Dangerously close to falling asleep, Slade became alert as the chandelier in the foyer suddenly lit up, casting a golden light across the manor's snow-covered driveway and lawn. He watched the Titans spread out across the manor.**

He caught several glimpses of his first apprentice, but the boy moved quickly, and soon, with all of the Titans working together, most of the manor's interior was obscured behind huge, heavy curtains. Then the manor went still again. There was no more movement until the following morning when Bruce Wayne left at sunrise for the city.

Slade stayed.

And he watched.

And much to his satisfaction, the Titans did not emerge once.

By mid-morning, every window the Titans had missed was sealed by the butler. As the old man finished what the Titans had begun, Slade wondered what they were hiding from, and how much they knew.

And the best way to find out.

* * *

 **The cold afternoon sun bathed the snow covering Wayne Manor in a soft white glow. Inside, the Titans walked together up a hall towards the guest dining room. They'd taken the path enough times that artwork on the walls had become familiar.**

"So _Rachel_ , have you had anymore creepy feelings today?" Beast Boy asked.

She cast a scowl at him. "Assuming you're being serious—no, I haven't."

"I think we're pretty safe here," Robin assured, walking beside her, "but if you sense anything coming after you, don't hesitate to tell someone, okay?"

Raven nodded. "So… was your—was Mr. Wayne okay with us closing all of the curtains?"

"Sure. He'd always rather be safe than sorry." Robin grinned. "Besides, Bruce became a believer in the paranormal a _long_ time ago. He's got friends in strange places."

"Man," Cyborg laughed, "after dealing with weirdness like Mother Mae Eye and Mumbo Jumbo, I'd believe in anything. But Richie Rich's right, Rae. If anything four-eyed and demon-faced even _tries_ to cross that front door, you know it's a sure thing we've got your back. I'll blast that sucker into the next solar system!"

He coughed, adding, "It'd be kinda nice to have the target practice. I know we got a gym here and all, but my circuits need flexing."

Raven glanced up at Cyborg. "So in other words... you miss beating people up."

He laughed again, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, maybe a little."

"I too miss kicking the butt," Starfire admitted, staring at her fingers as she walked along with her friends. She wiggled them and imagined they were enveloped with powerful green energy.

"Yeah. Are you _sure_ we can't go help you and Batman out next time?" Beast Boy asked, turning a pleading gaze on Robin.

Robin shook his head. "Sorry. But hey, maybe it's for the best. I mean, after Rachel's vision and all, it's probably a good idea for you guys to stay here. The creature she saw in her vision didn't seem able to penetrate the manor. Maybe that means she's safest in here, but it'd definitely be safer if you guys were with her, right?"

"Then should you not stay with us also, Robi... I mean Richard?" Starfire asked. She did not look forward to Robin going out without them again at all.

Robin gave her a confident smile. "Nah, I have total faith in you guys. Besides, he needs me."

The other Titans exchanged a wordless, worried glance that the Boy Wonder did not catch, but they seemed to all have the same thought: _Would he stay in Gotham if Batman needed him to? Or what if Bruce Wayne or Alfred asked him to move back into the manor?_

"Yeah. Okay." Beast Boy sulked. A few moments passed and he perked back up, recalling, "Hey! Alfred said you guys have an in-home theater. How come you haven't shown it to us?"

"It only has two chairs," Robin said, leading up another hall towards the dining room, "but to be honest, I didn't even think about it. We never used it that much when I lived here. Well, Bruce used it on some of his dates… I'll show you guys where it is after lunch. Come to think of it, it'd be a great place to set up the Gamestation. It should be here today."

"Sweet!" Beast Boy grinned at Raven. "If you're up to the challenge, I'm always willing to show you how to play, Rae."

Raven arched an eyebrow. "And I'm willing to show _you_ how to read books written for adults. …Anytime you're ready, Champ."

Beast Boy threw his hands in the air. "Dude, what are you talking about? _We are not adults!_ I mean, sure, you and Robin like to _act_ like you are most of the time, but don't go acting like the rest of us have to be boring with a capital B. Right, Cy?"

"Now, now, children," Cyborg teased. "First of all, it's _Victor._ Second of all, everyone knows Trigon'll wear a tutu and dance ballet before Rachel here ever plays a video game, and _Garfield_ , we all know you can't read, so just drop it."

" _What?_ I so can too read!"

" _See Spot Run_ hardly counts…" Raven muttered.

"Let's pick this debate up after lunch," Robin said as they reached the guest dining room. He opened the dining room door and held it for his friends. Inside, they found that the table was already set with drinks, plates, utensils, and three giant bowls of steaming, self-servable food.

"Here, Richard, I return your offer of politeness from the other night," Starfire said, cheerfully pulling back a chair for her boyfriend.

"Thanks!" he said, smiling and scratching the back of his head as he sat down.

Blushing, Starfire took the chair beside him and across from Raven. "You are most welcome."

"Spaghetti and meatballs! Simple but delicious!" Cyborg praised as he took his seat at the head of the table. "And look, BB, he even kept the meatballs separate just for you. Isn't Alfred niiiice?"

Beast Boy hopped into a chair next to Raven. It rocked unsteadily for a moment as the shapeshifter snatched up his utensils. "He's the awesomest!"

Robin smiled again; happy to hear his friends praising one of his most favorite people.

Starfire glanced at each of the three bowls on the dining room table. She watched her friend Cyborg scoop the noodles from the largest bowl onto his plate. He added a strong-scented red liquid from a second bowl and what she assumed were the 'meatballs' from the third. The lumps certainly smelled like meat.

"So you mix these three confections together, yes?" she asked.

"You mean we've never introduced you to spaghetti? You just add what you want," Cyborg told her. "There's no right or wrong way to do it."

"But it tastes way better meatless," Beast Boy chimed in.

Cyborg rolled his eyes. "I don't know. If someone could bring you to the Meat Side, it'd have to be my man Alfred. You have no idea what you're missing here. He probably handmade these babies. I can tell. My grandma handmakes everything, and these meatballs were definitely made in-house."

Cyborg made a show of popping four meatballs into his mouth and Beast Boy nearly gagged.

"I dare you try one," Cyborg teased with a friendly smirk. There was a challenging glint in his human eye. He waved a meatball inches in front of the shapeshifter's face.

Beast Boy held up both hands to block the meatball at the end of Cyborg's offered fork. "Ew, no! Don't make me barf! Can't you see that I'm trying to eat here?"

"Great. A conversation involving vomit. ...At lunch." Raven pushed the food around on her plate.

" _He's_ the one who made me say it!" Beast Boy told her.

"And now _you're_ spitting all over me," Raven said; irritated.

"He can't help it," Cyborg teased."He's just droolin' over all this meaty goodness. His taste buds can't deny they want it." Cyborg pushed the meatball-bearing fork in his friend's face again. "Might as well give in!"

"Oh brother! Seriously, will you stop? That thing's gonna make me hurl!" Beast Boy batted Cyborg's hand away, and the older teen finally relented with a good-natured laugh.

"Sorry, BB," Cyborg said, grinning. "Your meatphobia is just too fun to mess with sometimes."

"Yeah, yeah," the shapeshifter grumbled.

"Beast Boy, I mean—" Starfire blushed, "— _Garfield_ , I did not realize that you had a brother. Why have you never spoken of him before? Are you suddenly missing him?"

"Nah," Beast Boy said, still a little aggravated as he mixed his sauce and noodles, "It's just something people say when they're frustrated."

"So you do not have a brother?" she asked.

"Nope!" Beast Boy wound some noodles around his fork. "I'm an only child. My parents probably figured one of me was all the awesome they needed in their lives," he added with a grin.

"I think it'd be neat to have a brother," Robin said, poking at the tangle of sauceless noodles on his plate.

"To be honest, I feel like I already have two." Cyborg pointed his fork at Robin. "The little know-it-all, overachiever brother, and," he shifted his fork to Beast Boy, "the little annoying slob that makes me look good in comparison."

"Hey!" Beast Boy slurped up his noodles in outrage, the sauce splatting across his face.

"See?" Cyborg and the other Titans laughed.

"And I would love to think of you as a sister, Raven!" Starfire smiled brilliantly across the table at her friend. "You are an improvement indeed over my actual sister!"

Raven glanced up from her food. "Thanks. …I think."

"And although I already have a brother, I would be most honored also to think of you two as brothers," Starfire added, beaming at Cyborg and Beast Boy.

The Titans blinked at her.

"You have a brother?" Robin asked; an eyebrow lifting in surprise. "How come you've never mentioned him before?"

"To be truthful, I am not sure if he is even alive," Starfire admitted, a tinge of sadness in her voice as she met the eyes of her friends. Seeing their confusion, she added, "Many years ago, a deadly enemy was preparing to invade Tamaran. My brother was far too young to fight, so he was sent to another planet. It was a necessary precaution my parents were forced to take in case the royal family fell in battle. Unfortunately, only my parents knew the location of this planet. And... since they are deceased, I have no way of knowing where he is in the universe."

"Well maybe we can help," Robin offered.

"Does he have powers like you?" Beast Boy asked. "I bet he'd make a great Titan. What's his name anyway?"

"In your language, his name would be Wildfire," the alien girl replied, a bright smile on her face. Truly her friends were the best! "Do you truly believe we could find him? The universe is quite vast..."

Robin smiled at her. "Yeah, but I might know some people who could at least point us in the right direction. With most of our enemies still on ice, now might be the best time to go looking. We could try after the holidays. Maybe Titan's East could keep an eye on Jump a little longer."

"Won't hurt to ask," Cyborg agreed, adding extra sauce to his meatballs. In the process, an especially fat meatball rolled off of his plate and towards Beast Boy. It fell off of the table and bounced off of the shapeshifter's thigh.

Beast Boy felt the errant meatball's attack and narrowed his eyes at the older teen. _He's seriously still messing with me! He totally flicked one of those things!_

Beast Boy stabbed his fork into a meatball, bent back its prongs, and sent the small missile flying into the side of Cyborg's face.

"Ha! Thought I wouldn't do something back, huh? If you like it so much, Cy, why dontcha wear it!" Beast Boy said, grinning fiendishly.

"Boy I don't know what you're talking about," Cyborg said, wiping the sauce from his cheek, "but if you wanna talk about wearing pasta, I just found some in some your size!"

He grabbed his plate and dumped it on the shapeshifter's head. "Hey what do you know? I think it's an improvement!" Cyborg said laughing.

Long strings of sauce and spaghetti, and chunks of meat, slid down Beast Boy's face and shoulders, flopping onto his lap and the floor. "Eww! Dude! I will _massacre_ you for that!"

"Guys—!" Robin tried, but Beast Boy was already leaping onto the table, a fresh handful of noodles in his hand. It flew, Cyborg ducked, and the noodles splatted against the wall.

Cyborg stood up, snatching Beast Boy by the collar, which caused the shapeshifter's foot to knock the sauce bowl straight into Starfire's face. Seconds later the bowl exploded in a green ball of energy. Sauce was sent in every direction, splattering all four walls, the ceiling, and the Titans as Starfire joined the mini-wrestling match Cyborg and Beast Boy were engaged in. Robin tried to pull them all apart.

Raven wiped the sauce from her face with a growl.

"That's enough!" she said, about to use her powers to break up the skirmish when Beast Boy crashed into her. They both slid across the table, knocking dishes and more food onto to the floor.

Beast Boy helped Raven stand up. As his adrenaline rush subsided, he glanced around the room and swallowed nervously. "Whoa… We have seriously made a huge mess."

Raven wiped noodles from her shoulder and crossed her arms. " _Whoa_ barely covers it. You two idiots wrecked the place!"

"Stop making a mess!" Robin ground out from his clenched teeth from the other side of the room. He acted as a human wall between Cyborg and Starfire; his outstretched arms kept them apart.

"What's the matter, Richie Rich? You afraid we'll break the China?" Cyborg snapped.

Robin's eyes widened a fraction at the insult.

The look made Cyborg grimace. _Ouch._

"Sorry, Rob." Cyborg backed off a step from the shorter hero's outstretched palm. "That was a low blow. I uh... I guess we've got more pent up energy than we realized…"

Starfire's eyes returned to normal and her feet touched the ground. "Yes. But we must calm down before—"

" _Richard John Grayson!"_

The Titans froze and shrank back at the sound of a voice that was the epitome of dignified wrath. None of them could think of an explanation, and they didn't need to; all the evidence dripped from their hands, the portraits on the wall, the chandelier…

Scratching the back of his head, Robin managed to say, "H-Hi, Alfred. Sorry about the mess. Things got out of hand. Uhhh... We were just about to clean it up?"

"I would fetch toothbrushes, water, and soap," Alfred replied grimly, "but the room needs to be ready immediately."

"Are we expecting company?" Robin paled at the idea of Bruce finding out about the Titan's behavior. _All my—all OUR credibility—just went up in smoke! Way to go, Boy Wonder!_

Alfred brought his stern gaze back down from the spaghetti-splattered ceiling to meet the boy's worried blue eyes. "As luck would have it, Master Bruce drew the short straw after one of his meetings earlier today. In two hours _in this room_ he will be entertaining dinner guests."

"Investors?" Robin asked; his voice straining a little.

" _Lawyers._ From both sides of the aisle."

Robin winced.

"You four, do whatever it is you have to do to put this room back in order. Then please wash up and return to your rooms. It is not yet public knowledge that you are here and Master Bruce would like to keep it that way for the time being." Alfred's gaze lingered on Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy just long enough to make sure the wide-eyed teens knew they were on his _list_.

"Master Richard, if you would follow me." Alfred turned after making what really was a non-request and strode through the swinging door that led into the guest dining room's large adjoining kitchen.

Free from the immediate wrath of their friend's butler, the four other Titans sighed in relief.

"Wow, dude's pretty mad, huh?" Beast Boy said; a deep sense of shame made his throat feel tight. His holo-blue gaze fell to his shoes. "Aw, man. He probably thinks we're just a bunch of immature brats now."

"Who can blame him?" Cyborg took a long glance around the elegant room they'd massacred in less than five minutes. He sighed. "I can't believe how carried away we got. He's been nothing but cool to us."

"He will no longer wish our company in this home." Starfire wiped her eyes with both hands. "Oh we are bad guests! He will think we are bad friends unworthy of Robin, too."

"No." Robin had crossed the dining room to follow Alfred into the kitchen. He paused with a hand on the swinging door, but he couldn't look back at the ridiculous mess they'd made.

"He's just disappointed," Robin told his friends. "And I should have realized sooner that we were getting out of control. I'm sorry."

Before any of the Titans could reply, Robin was through the door, leaving them with guilty thoughts and a dining room to clean.

The four remaining heroes looked at each other.

"Do you think he'll tell Mr. Wayne?" Beast Boy asked. "Oh man, if that felt harsh, can you even imagine an angry Batman? I mean, you've _seen_ Angry Robin and you know where he has to get it from. Now imagine it way taller and scarier with pointy ears."

Beast Boy's hands imitated the top of Batman's cowl atop his head.

"What's done is done," Raven said. "The only thing we can do now is fix it."

Dark energy surrounded the food on the walls and Raven disintegrated the chunks of noodles and sauce into particles. "He said 'do whatever' we have to do. We've handled worse messes then this… at least when it comes to cleaning the food up. Making amends with Alfred on the other hand…"

"We'll get it done," Cyborg said as he reached for an overturned chair. A determined look settled on his face. "It's time for damage control. First, we're gonna make this room look better than it did before. This table's gonna shine so hard BB'll be able to see his ugly mug in the reflection!"

"Hey!" Beast Boy scowled.

But Cyborg continued. "After that, we're gonna go think of a way to make things right again with Alfred. And then we've seriously got to spend more time in that gym to get some of this extra energy out. There's no way we can let something like this happen again. That sound like a plan to ya'll?"

The others nodded and voiced their agreement.

"Then Titans, let's go!" Cyborg said, springing into action.

* * *

 **In the kitchen, Alfred proceeded to draft Robin into being his sous-chef. For the next hour and a half, the quiet teen did everything he was asked, and together they prepared a small feast for the upcoming dinner.**

After finally summoning the courage to check on the dining room's state, Alfred returned seconds later visibly relieved. "If being vigilantes doesn't work out, Master Richard, than your friends show promise in the custodial arts. I dare say the room is cleaner than it was prior to your little spaghetti war."

"It's not the first time we've managed to get more food on the ceiling than in our mouths," Robin admitted, frowning. He finished drying out a wine glass and set it on a dining cart beside the other first course dishes.

"I can imagine," Alfred said, taking hold of the cart. Robin held open the swinging door as the butler pushed the cart full of dishes into the dining room.

When Alfred began setting the table, Robin tried to help, but the butler said, "If you're going to make it on time to dinner than you should go wash up straight away. Somehow word has gotten around that Dick Grayson flew home early for the holidays. You're expected, and besides, perhaps the lawyers will feign civility in the presence of a child."

Robin's frown deepened at being called a _child_ , but he knew he couldn't deny having been caught appearing to act like one earlier that day, so he said, "Okay, Alfred. Sorry again about the mess. It won't happen again."

"No, I don't expect that it will," Alfred agreed. "Thank you for assisting me in dinner preparations, Master Richard. Now hurry along."

* * *

 **Less than an hour later, Robin walked into the guest dining room ahead of Alfred and saw two smartly dressed women seated at the table.** **He recognized Trish Gallows instantly. She was the head of Bruce's legal team and had known Robin for years. He figured the other lawyer represented Holt Lumber. They were suing Wayne Industries for breach of contract.**

 **But where was Bruce?**

Robin plastered a polite smile across his face as Alfred made introductions and offered a generic excuse for Bruce's lateness. He assured all present that there was no need to wait for the billionaire's arrival. So food was served and the lawyers ate salad, then steak, and discussed everything that Robin didn't really care about. Politics. Celebrity gossip. The weather. Then suddenly, twenty minutes into eating, they ran out of topics. He frowned as he chewed on his steak, knowing that meant they were two seconds from remembering he was in the room.

"So, Dick Grayson. It's so nice to meet you in person! How's college life in Pinnacle?" Brianna Lyles asked from across the table. She was the representative for Holt Lumber. She had sharp green eyes and short, dark red hair that was slicked back over her scalp.

"It's interesting," Robin replied, poking at his steak and zucchini. His blue eyes flicked up to meet hers. "It's a lot more work than high school was."

Brianna's red lips gave him a devilish smile. "Please tell me you have a girlfriend. All those coeds up at Pinnacle West must be lining up for a fine young bachelor like you."

"Well, considering he'd still count as a minor in that state," Trish Gallows snapped as she sawed her steak, "I seriously doubt it. Mr. Grayson is focused on his education."

Trish shot a glare at the teenager. " _Aren't you_ , Mr. Grayson?"

Robin suppressed a grin and nodded at Bruce's head of legal. The frizzy haired woman was cutting her steak so vigorously that Robin swore the cow must have offended her in its previous life.

"Hey, who cares if he dates an older girl? What are rules for anyway? Mr. Wayne certainly doesn't care about them," Brianna replied, dabbing her face with a napkin. She sent an empty, apologetic glance Robin's way. "No offense."

"Of course he cares about rules," Robin told her. "That's why he dropped the company you represent."

"Sweetheart, that's adult business. I know he's your daddy, and it's cute for you to defend him, but you don't know what you're talking about," Brianna said. "He breached the contract when he abruptly cut ties with my client. By _breached_ I mean he broke it."

Robin's blue eyes steeled over as he met her gaze. Did she really think he didn't know what a breach of contract was? "If anyone should be sued for _breach of contract_ it's Holt Lumber. Everyone knows that Wayne Industries is a green company. When your client signed with us, they must not have read the paperwork very closely."

Brianna scoffed. "Of course it was read closely. _I_ was there."

Robin smirked. "Then you must have missed the clause that specifically gives Wayne Industries the right to immediately terminate Holt's contract if they in any way engage in activities harmful to endangered environments like the rain forest, which is precisely what Holt Lumber was caught doing in the Amazon."

"And then had the gall to try and deny it," Trish added. "I'm telling you Ms. Lyles. Your people need to drop this while you can _before_ the media hears about it. It's not like Mr. Wayne needs your money, but he'll take it and use it to plant some trees or something if you don't convince your bosses to let this go."

"Let's see what a judge says," Brianna replied in a tone that meant she no longer wanted to discuss the manner. "So, I saw something pretty strange this morning. I was driving up Main when this girl dressed up like a bumblebee landed right in front of the car ahead of me. They almost hit her. She was yelling on about something, so I rolled down my window and heard her asking a cop if she'd seen Robin. You know, as in _Batman's_ Robin? She looked hurt."

"Probably another one of Arkham's graduates," Trish said, sipping some wine.

Alarmed, Robin asked, "Did she say why she was looking for Robin? How badly was she hurt?"

Brianna shook her head. "Sorry, kid. I had to get to work. I didn't stick around to see what happened. I'm sure Gotham's Finest probably took her home, or to the nuthouse. Who knows? Maybe it was a prank."

"But you said she was hurt," Robin pressed.

The woman was about to elaborate, but just then, the dining room's heavy door swung open and Bruce Wayne strolled in. He took a seat at the head of the table and offered his guests an apologetic smile.

"Sorry ladies, I had a few fires to put out at the office," Bruce told them as he greeted Robin with a small nod, "and traffic was terrible."

Robin brooded as Alfred brought out dessert.

Why was Bumblebee looking for him? Why was she injured?

 _She must have seen me on the news,_ he thought with a sigh.

He glanced at Bruce and knew he couldn't press the lawyer for more answers. The last thing he needed was for Batman to think the Titans had screwed up and other people knew they were in Gotham. He still was trying to come up a way to explain the whole spaghetti fiasco.

 _I wonder if Alfred's already told him._ Robin sent another subtle glance at Bruce, but it was impossible to tell. Bruce Wayne was a mask even Robin had a difficult time seeing past.

* * *

 **1)** For the purposes of this fic, Slade and Adeline were the biological parents of Grant/Red X, Joseph/Jericho, _and_ Rose. Grant being Red X and Rose living with Adeline were just my head canon. Slade and Adeline's relationship is based on the original comics.

 **2)** It's hinted in _Teen Titans_ that Wintergreen and the H.I.V.E. Headmistress were dating (the Lost Episode), which in my head canon is a reason why he joined the Brotherhood at the end of the series. I guess Slade was miffed enough that he left the old guy on ice for a while (too long as it turned out).


	7. Gravity

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Rated T for language and violence.

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Seven:** Gravity

* * *

 **Positioned high in a tree, Slade watched through the small scope of his rifle as two smartly-dressed women hurried down the manor's front steps and into their respective cabs.**

" _Thanks for getting dinner ready tonight under such short notice,"_ Wayne said to the butler. Together they stood on the front porch and waved their guests farewell.

" _You're quite welcome, sir."_

The boy shivered between them. Like Wayne, he wore a black suit and a crisp, white-collared shirt. His dress shoes were dark leather.

Slade couldn't help but scoff. Robin looked every bit the part of a glossed up Gotham elite.

The two cabs pulled away and the boy looked up at his guardian. _"So, were you really late tonight just because of traffic?"_

Wayne nodded _. "There was a multicar collision on Memorial Bridge, but I also met with Lucius. He wanted to show me a prototype for a cowl that's resistant to Crane's airborne version of the Scare Dust."_

" _Cool. I wonder if he could make me a mask more like yours,"_ Robin said. _"You know, one that can see in the dark?"_

" _It wouldn't hurt to ask,"_ Wayne said, but then his tone grew serious. _"Dick,_ _there's something I meant to tell you this morning._ _Robert King is dead. Scarecrow killed him in retaliation."_

 _"How do you know it was Scarecrow?"_

" _He used barbed wire. Even if it wasn't Crane, it was definitely someone sent by him."_

Robin frowned. " _Another message I guess."_

" _I'm heading out to Park Row in an hour. One of Gordon's men reported seeing Scarecrow in the area last night. Do you want to come?"_ The question was asked as Wayne circled an arm around the boy's shoulders and the two, plus the butler, headed back into the warmth of the manor.

* * *

 **Once they were inside, Slade could no longer see them through his small scope, but their voices were still well within range of the transmitter he'd fired into the shadows near the manor's front steps.**

Robin said, _"I'll need to tell the Titans first, and I'll have to find another costume. Mine got pretty torn up the other night."_

" _It's already been repaired, Master Richard,"_ the butler assured him, _"and if you check the armory, I'm quite sure that you'll find replacements for the weapons you lost as well."_

" _Awesome. Thanks, Alfred."_

" _I'll be downstairs,"_ Wayne said. _"Meet me there after you've updated your team. And be sure to let them know we appreciate their cooperation. They were so quiet while the lawyers were here."_

Wayne chuckled. _"No one would ever know we're hiding four extra teenagers. Although, I couldn't help but notice that you were pretty subdued at dinner tonight, too, Dick. Did anything happen while I was gone?"_

 _"Nothing stands out as worth mentioning, sir,"_ the butler replied. _"It's been a very quiet day, but I suppose even children with extraordinary abilities have their down time. And speaking of which, I should see if our young guests would like a late dinner. They ate very little of their lunch today."_

 _"Maybe it's the weather,"_ Wayne guessed. _"I bet this place feels pretty oppressive compared to your Tower in Jump—especially with every window covered up like this. Has anything come of Raven's vision?"_

" _No,"_ Robin said, _"and hopefully nothing ever will."_

 _"Perhaps it was only a bad dream after all,"_ said the butler.

" _Perhaps,"_ Wayne agreed, _"but if this makes her feel safer, then there's really no harm."_

* * *

 **They then spoke again of the lawyers; a topic that held no interest for Slade. Not that it mattered. Their voices faded as they moved too far beyond the range of his transmitter.**

Alone again in silence, Slade's watchful eye swept the deep shadows caking the manor. There was no movement, nor the telltale red flash of a sniper's presence. He rubbed one of his temples and tried to suppress the fatigue eating at his body, but the harsh winter air and the discomfort of being perched so long in a tree were no longer enough to keep his mind from drifting. He was so tired. His eye closed for a mere second and suddenly Slade was no longer perched high in a tree.

He was in a cabin.

* * *

 _It had taken him an eternity to drag himself across the snow-covered lawn, up the old wooden steps, and through the cabin's already kicked-open front door._ _He couldn't get up, not even to his knees, so Slade grabbed the coffee table's thick leg and used it to pull himself further into the living room._

 _Frannie's pink recliner was flipped over._

 _Only her legs were visible. With great effort, Slade heaved himself around the chair to see the rest of her._

 _Like Joseph, the word_ _ **NINE**_ _was carved with precision into her forearm._ _She wore a nightdress that she'd probably sewn herself. It was lavender and bloodstained. The residue on her skin and the damage done to what was left of her head told Slade that his stepmother, the woman who'd raised him and never_ once _turned her back on him, had been killed point blank with a shotgun._

 _He imagined Frannie going down looking her murderer right in the eyes—fearless and knowing that she'd be avenged—that Slade would be the one doing it—and that it would be everything her killer deserved._

* * *

 **Slade had tried to warn Frannie. As soon as he'd found Adeline, he'd called and told his stepmother to get out of the cabin; to go underground until Slade could find whoever was hunting down their family.**

 _Frannie scoffed. "I'm a decent shot myself, you know. I hope the bastard does show up. I'd love to put a bullet in his balls!"_

 _She hung up, and days later, when Slade finally reached the cabin, he found the front door already kicked in. From across the snow-covered lawn he could see that the inside of the cabin was dark._

 _His half-brother waited for him at the top of the old wooden steps._ _Wade wore red and blue armor that covered most of his body, including his face, but Slade knew him instantly. He knew that posture, and he especially knew the sword strapped to Wade's back._

 _"I killed Mom," Wade said without remorse. In fact, Slade was sure the man was grinning beneath his mask._

 _Slade's eye narrowed at the confession. On the surface he was calm and still, but inside, his mind was racing to catch up._

 _Wade had killed them. Wade was alive. It didn't matter why or how. Slade darted across the lawn with his weapons drawn. The fight was swift and brutal._ _Wade moved so fast that Slade was barely able to track his movements. The man's relentless punches were incredibly strong. They cracked and shattered through Slade's armor._

 _Slade's mind struggled to comprehend what was happening. Now the why and how did matter. Why did he kill them? How had Wade become so fast and strong? How was he even alive? Slade had watched Frannie shoot the man right out the window of another cabin years ago. Wade had fallen thousands of feet off a mountainside to what should have been his death._

 _Now Wade slung him around like a rag doll. He slammed Slade into the snow again and again. Slade heard more than felt the sickening crunch of his own limbs breaking. Only when he could no longer fight back, Wade at last released him to the snow._

 _Slade tried to push himself back up from the ground, but his arms were broken. The fact that they were broken startled him._

 _Wade stepped over him and crouched nearby. He regarded Slade with a derisive laugh._ " _Well, that was fun. What's wrong, Brother? Old age starting to slow you down? And here_ _I thought you couldn't age."_

" _Wade… what…" Slade got to his elbows; his teeth clenched against the pain._

" _Seeing you suffer makes everything I've done worthwhile," Wade said. "But I can't stay long. You see, I've still got some little friends of yours out West to go visit. One of those kids looks pretty tough, I'll admit, but don't worry, Brother. Once I shoot blondie with one of these bad boys I think you can agree the playing field will get real even."_

 _Wade held up what looked like a tranquilizer dart. It was clear and filled with a blue liquid that sparkled in the moonlight._

" _Is that what you shot me with?" Slade asked, trying to get his knees under him, but some of his ribs were broken. He fell flat against the snow. He heard his brother chuckle and wanted nothing more than to crush Wade's throat with his own hands._

" _I shot you with two of them. They're called Limiters. I stole them from LexCorp. You can probably guess who Luthor's been making them for," Wade explained with a sneer. "What's it feel like, anyway? It's been a long time since you've had to deal with little old things like pain that doesn't just go away after a few minutes, right? I bet your brain's just eating itself up trying to figure out what the hell's going on."_

" _What else have you done?" Slade asked. He made it to his elbows again, but the pain it caused his arms and his ribs was excruciating. "You were never this strong."_

 _"Oh you noticed? I helped myself to some kind of super soldier cocktail they were cooking up, too. Honestly, I think it's made me damn-near unstoppable. If I could fly and shoot lasers out of my eyes, I'd be a bonafide Superman."_

 _Wade laughed. "What do you think, Slade? Feel like you just got beat down by a bonafide Superman?"_

 _Breathing hard, Slade looked up at him and asked the question that had burned in his mind the moment he'd realized his own half-brother was the one massacring their family._

" _How could you kill them?"_

 _Wade was silent. Then he said, "I thought it'd make me feel terrible. I was even worried about crying._ _It actually felt really good. In fact, I feel more relieved every time it happens. More at peace with myself. Like a hole in my soul's being filled. I guess knowing they're all in a better place just makes me feel better."_

 _Slade's voice was low and menacing. "Murdering my children... made you feel 'better'?"_

" _The world never deserved them," Wade replied, "and neither did you. You just had to start coming around again. Did you really think she'd ever take you_ _—"_

" _Where have you been all this time? How did you survive the fall?" Slade made it to his hands and knees. His body trembled from the effort._

" _Bet it blew your mind when you realized I wasn't dead after all." Wade laughed again. "It definitely blew a few other people's!"_

 _Wade laughed, loud and hard with his head thrown back._

 _Fueled by sheer adrenaline and hate, Slade lunged forward. He came seconds from getting his fingers around the man's neck—but then there was an explosion of air. A third Limiter pierced Slade's armor; just above the heart. Slade was thrown backwards._ _When he regained enough of his senses, he realized he was on his back and Wade was kneeling beside him._ _Slade couldn't move. He could do nothing as Wade snatched him by the helmet and tore the piece of armor off._

 _Wade crumpled the helmet and tossed it aside like a piece of trash._

" _There you are. I almost forgot what you looked like underneath that thing."_

 _Slade's glare was murderous._

" _Well, Brother, this has been a truly meaningful bonding experience for me," Wade said, "but I don't think you quite understand yet what it's like to have everything—and I mean everything—ripped out of your life. Like I said, you still got some friends out West I need to visit. I almost missed one of them. I saw you and blondie in the news a while back when you tried to take over Jump City, but she wasn't your first little disciple, was she?"_

 _Slade's eye widened a fraction._

" _I dropped by your so-called secret lair in Midway City the other day and found out about the other one," Wade told him, relishing the anger he could see in that blue eye. "You sure are keeping tabs on that kid. I wonder what Gotham's Big Bad Bat would have to say about that? It took quite a bit of asking around to figure out Robin had actually worked for you, too. Maybe he still does. Maybe he's your own little undercover super-spy."_

" _He's an enemy," Slade said, grimacing at the sharp pain in his ribs._

 _Wade snorted. "Even when we were little kids I always could tell when you were telling a story, Slade. I think I'll go find out about him myself."_

" _But wait," Wade cupped a hand at the level of his ear, "I think I hear Mom still stirring around. She always was a tough old bird. You stay here and rest while I go… check on her."_

 _Wade stood up._

" _She's your mother," Slade tried, but he knew that such words could mean nothing to a man who'd killed his own niece and nephews—and Adeline._

" _No she's not. You took that from me, too. Taking things is all you ever seem to do. But hey, don't worry about it, Slade. It's not all your fault. In fact, I'll be sure to remind her of how she picked you over me."_

" _Of how she shot me out of that window," Wade said with malice, "and left me for dead. I guess I wasn't even worth burying to you all."_

" _I'll bury you this time," Slade promised. "Once I'm done with you."_

" _You'll have to get yourself out of the ground first, Brother."_

* * *

 **Slade gasped awake and was lucky not to fall right out of the tree. He checked the watch he'd stolen from the GCPD officer. His accidental nap had lasted for only ten minutes, which meant that Batman and Robin were surely still inside the manor.**

 **He shook the memories away. He couldn't afford to keep getting distracted by the past.**

 _He won't strike here,_ Slade told himself. _The odds of him knowing the boy's civilian identity are slim to none._

According to Slade's old Gotham contacts, and the Scarecrow, Wade had entered the city two hours ago. He was lurking about North Gotham.

Slade noticed that a new message from Crane had appeared on his temporary communicator. It read: _BAT-SIGNAL._

 _Of course. What better place to wait for the boy._

Slade looked towards Gotham and saw that the signal was already lit. Whether the police commissioner or Wade had turned it on didn't matter. Batman and Robin would surely answer the call, and then the boy would be dead. Even the Dark Knight's honed instincts wouldn't be able to stop it. Not if Wade used his sniper rifle.

But Wade wasn't the only one with plans that night. Mindful of his injuries, Slade dropped down from the tree and started making his way towards the police motorcycle he'd hidden amongst the cliff-side brush. He straddled the seat; swapping his GCPD cap for the bike's helmet. Slade pulled its black visor down to conceal his face and took off for the city.

* * *

 **Inside the manor, the Titans sat in a circle on Cyborg's king-sized bed and distracted themselves with a card game.**

Beast Boy's stomach growled. "I really wish I'd eaten more of that spaghetti. I'm so hungry! Do you think Alfred's gonna starve us as punishment?"

"Well if he does, I guess we could always transform you into a pig. Then we could have us some green bacon," Cyborg said, grinning as he shuffled the cards.

"Dude, you guys are not eating me," Beast Boy said with a huff and crossed his arms.

Cyborg dealt the cards. "Come on now, boy. You gotta be willing to take one for the team!"

Starfire sighed. "I cannot help but wonder where Richard is. Do you think perhaps that his K'norfka has banished him to his room?"

"Relax, Starfire," Raven said. "He's going out with Batman again tonight."

Raven's eyes cut towards the shadows of Cy's opened closet. "Aren't you, Robin?"

Surprised, the other Titans whipped their attention to the closet just as Robin stepped out. He was dressed again in his winter costume. He flashed a smirk Raven's way and said, "I guess I should've known _you'd_ sense me."

"Dude, how long have you been there?" Beast Boy asked. "Better yet _, how_ did you get there? Are there secret passages in your house? I mean, I know there's got to be one down to the Batcave, but do you have like secret corridors connecting different rooms and stuff?"

Robin hopped onto the bed and sat between him and Starfire. He grinned at the shape-shifter. "Maybe. There are lots of secrets in this house, but right now I need to talk to you guys about something serious."

"Look, Rob, about earlier with the spaghetti—" Cyborg paused when Robin held up a gloved hand.

"Not about that," Robin said. "At dinner tonight one of the lawyers said they saw a girl resembling Bumblebee crash straight into traffic. They said she was looking for me, and that she was injured."

"Whoa. What's Bee doing in town? How bad was she hurt?" Cyborg asked.

Starfire's worried green eyes met his. "And why does she search for you?"

"I don't know. I couldn't find out because Bruce showed up, and I don't think it'd be good if he found out she's in Gotham," Robin said.

"After having a food fight in his dining room," Raven muttered, "I doubt that we could screw up much worse."

"Alfred didn't tell him about it," Robin told them, and the Titans were visibly relieved. "He was really impressed by how well you guys cleaned up the mess. Plus, I think he knows it won't happen again."

"It definitely won't," Cyborg promised.

Robin said, "Raven, do you think you could find Bumblebee with your soul-self?"

"Most likely."

"Then find her. Make sure she's okay and find out why she's in the Gotham. Hopefully Batman won't run across her tonight and we can get all this sorted out without him thinking we weren't careful enough traveling here."

"I'll search for her as soon as Alfred's in the Batcave," Raven said. "But Robin, I won't be able to heal her as my soul-self. What if she's heavily injured?"

Robin ran his fingers through his dark hair as he considered the problem. "After your vision, I don't think it'd be wise for you to leave the manor. To be honest, I don't even like sending a _part_ of you outside until we know what the vision means. I guess if it comes down to it, you can bring her here. I'd say teleport her home, but I don't know if you should go that far on your own while we still don't understand your vision. Just make her think this is a hotel room or something, and don't forget to turn off your holo-watches. And definitely don't let Alfred see her! And hey, and if she gets too suspicious, can't you just make her go to sleep, you know, like you did with me the other morning?"

Raven nodded, and Robin smirked. "Good. Now that _that's_ settled, are you guys up for leftovers? Alfred set the dining room back up for you. Just go help yourselves—and try not to paint the walls with it this time."

Beast Boy laughed. "No problem! I am _way_ too hungry to waste food right now. C'mon, Cy!"

"Ain't gotta tell me twice." But Cyborg paused at the door. "Hey man, be safe out there tonight, okay? Don't go gettin' distracted worrying your spikey head about Bee. We'll get that figured out and handled."

"Thanks," Robin said. "I know I can count on you guys."

When Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven were gone from the bedroom, Robin slid off the bed. When Starfire remained sitting on it, frowning down at her hands, he said, "Don't look so worried. I'm sure Bumblebee's okay. She's super tough."

"Although I care for our friend, she is not the cause of my worrying." Starfire moved off the bed and pulled him into a strong hug. "You must promise to be wary of all threats. You will do your best to return to us swiftly and uninjured this time, yes?"

"Of course I will," Robin assured; returning her embrace. "And if anyone tries to start another food fight while I'm gone, knock them out for me, okay?"

" _Timnar,_ I am serious." Starfire hugged him tighter, ignoring the way he gasped for air. She closed her eyes and prayed that _X'hal_ would protect him. "Please be careful."

"Master Richard?" Alfred peeked into the bedroom. "There you are. Are you ready, sir? Master Bruce has already started the car. Apparently the Signal has been lit."

"Coming, Alfred," Robin said. He wanted to give the alien girl a quick kiss, but just couldn't do it with Alfred standing in the door. Instead he gently disentangled himself from her impossibly strong arms and offered her another smile.

"Don't worry, Star. I'll be back soon. I promise."

* * *

 **Halfway to the study, Alfred regarded the boy with a raised eyebrow.**

"Master Richard, does the young lady refer to _all_ of her friends as—what was that curious word again? Oh yes. _Timnar_?"

Robin blushed. He swallowed and said, "Oh that? It's uh—it's just a Tamaranean word—cause you know, she's from Tamaran. It's a planet."

 _Smooth, Boy Wonder,_ Robin inwardly groaned. He kept his eyes anywhere but Alfred and started walking faster.

"I assumed as much," Alfred said, keeping pace effortlessly. "Pray tell, Master Richard, what does the word mean? I recall from one of your recent letters that Ms. Koriand'r has been teaching you some of her native language. Could this _Timnar_ perhaps be a term of endearment?"

Robin missed a step.

Alfred noticed. "Oh it is? How very _romantic_ , sir. Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time."

The butler sighed dramatically. "Oh, how they grow so fast."

They rounded another hallway, and Alfred added, "And to think I may yet live to see Master Bruce become a grandfather; hopefully not anytime soon, of course."

Robin's masked eyes widened. "What?"

"Not to be prudish, and I'm quite sure you're a wise enough lad to use protection—"

" _What?"_

"—and although we would always support you regardless—"

"Alfred, stop!"

"—vigilantism and young children—

"I'll call Maggie!"

"—are two tigers that simply do not play well together."

"And she'll have _everyone_ calling you _Alfie_ by sunrise!"

"Good Lord, Master Richard," Alfred said, holding open the study's door. "Now that is a threat. I suppose I'll stop nettling you then. Although I hope that my point has been made quite clear?"

"Crystal," Robin said, mortified as he stalked over to the grandfather clock.

 _Well... I guess that kind of talk is better coming from Alfred than Bruce. Speaking of Bruce…_

Robin let go of his indignation. He looked back at Alfred. "Thanks for not telling Bruce about earlier."

"I consider the matter settled," Alfred replied. "I do, however, ask that both of you take Ms. Koriand'r's request to heart while out and about tonight. Be careful, young sir. I will be at the console shortly should either of you need my assistance."

Robin smiled. He stepped through the clock and started making his way down into the Batcave.

There was a lot of chaos in the world, but there were a few things that he knew he could always be sure of—that Batman and he would never stop protecting the innocent, and that Alfred would always be there—a voice in the dark to help them find their way back home. Until death, sickness, or age ended the mission, those things, at least, were certain.

* * *

 **The Batmobile raced over Memorial Bridge towards the GCPD. In the front passenger seat, Robin looked out the window, watching the other cars pass by in a colorful blur.**

"After we check in with Gordon, we'll see if we can find any leads on Scarecrow," Batman said as he drove. "We'll start in Park Row since that's his last known location."

 **They were only two blocks away when an explosion suddenly lit up the sky over Old Gotham.**

"What was that?" Robin asked, sitting up straight in his seat.

" _Apparently several stores in Park Row are being hit simultaneously,"_ Alfred replied through the car's communications. _"There are multiple reports of both gang activity and civilian mischief. Police are trying to get the block back under control. There may be hostages... Yes. There are confirmed hostages being held captive in Foster's Fine Jewelry."_

"Looks like Gordon will have to wait," Batman said, turning west towards the fire and smoke.

" _According to police chatter he's already on his way with a hostage negotiator. Sir, the men robbing the stores are all wearing gas masks, and Scarecrow has been identified as one of the hostage-takers. It's possible he may be planning to release his toxin again."_

"Thanks, Alfred. Keep your ear to the ground for us."

"Even if he does have more of the airborne toxin, why would he release it this way?" Robin asked. "He's practically asking us to come and kick his butt."

"Our first priority is to get the hostages out of harm's way," Batman replied. "That'll be your job. Let me handle Crane."

* * *

 **Park Row was alive with the flash of blue and red police lights; and the flickering glow of an orange fire that spit from the windows of two local shops. The GCFD were battling the flames when Batman and Robin arrived.**

Several of the other stores on the same block had been robbed. Their windows were smashed and the sidewalk was littered with items from their shelves. The GCPD had their hands full trying to keep criminals and opportunistic civilians from looting.

Batman and Robin watched the chaos from a rooftop across from _Foster's Fine Jewelry_. Down below, Gordon and dozens of police were set up, facing the store with shields raised and guns drawn. The hostage-negotiator was trying to make contact with Scarecrow through a megaphone.

"They've covered up the store windows," Robin said, looking through his collapsible scope. "I'm sure they've got guys covering all the exits, too. How do we get in without getting the hostages killed?"

"We might be able to get in through there." Batman pointed towards _Gretchen's Antiques._ It was right next to the jewelry shop. Like most of the businesses in Park Row, the buildings bumped right into each other.

* * *

 **They swung across the street and landed on the roof of** _ **Gretchen's.**_ **Sneaking in through the rear exit, they searched for any connection between the antique store and the jewelry shop. Batman found a promising ventilation shaft.**

"It looks like these buildings have shared ventilation," the Dark Knight said.

Robin eyed the vent with skepticism. "There's no way you're fitting through that."

Batman reached up and forced the grate aside. They could hear voices coming from the other building. Scared voices.

"Whoa, do you think that's the hostages?" Robin asked. "What are the odds of that?"

"Too good. Nothing's ever this easy. Go ahead and check it out, but stay out of sight," Batman told him.

Robin nodded. He jumped and pulled himself up into the vent. "What about you?"

"I'll find another way in."

* * *

 **Robin sneezed as he crawled through the ventilation shaft. It was full of dust and cobwebs. Eventually he came to a place where he could see light coming up through slits in the vent's bottom.**

Robin slowed down so that he wouldn't make as much noise and peered down through the grated slits into a small room. It looked like an office. There were two people tied up together and seated on the floor by a mahogany desk. A man wearing a gas mask was pointing a rifle at them. Both hostages were crying.

"Please, please don't kill me!" begged a woman dressed in a dark pink business suit. Her gold pin labeled her _MANAGER._

Robin assumed the other hostage was a customer or employee. The poor guy looked terrified.

"Batman," Robin whispered into his communicator. "There are two people trapped in what I think is the manager's office. There's just one guy in here watching them."

" _He's about to be distracted. When he leaves the room, get them out of there."_

Screams and yells erupted from another part of the store. There were explosions, the sounds of bodies crashing through glass display cases, and especially the sound of gunfire. The man guarding the hostages let loose a curse, cocked his weapon, and ran from the room.

 _Well sounds like Batman's having fun,_ Robin thought with a smirk. He wedged his bo-staff between two of the vent's slits and used it to pry them further apart. He then grabbed the weakened sheet metal, wary of its sharp edges, and pulled until there was a hole big enough for him to slip through and down into the office. Right away Robin closed and locked the room's only door. He shoved a file cabinet in front of it, too.

"Oh thank god!" the woman cried. "You have to get me out here!"

Robin moved to untie them both. "I will, but I don't think I can get you out the way I came in. Don't worry though. I promise I'll get you both to safety."

Once the hostages were free, Robin led them over to the door. He grunted as he pushed the heavy file cabinet aside to clear their path.

The manager snatched his sleeve. "Are you crazy?" she hissed. "It sounded like a war out there!"

Robin took three smoke pellets from his utility belt and held them up in his gloved hand for her to see. "These will make it where they can't see you. Just run straight for the exit and don't look back. When you get outside, do exactly what the police tell you to do and you'll be okay."

"W-What about you?" the other hostage asked nervously. "You're coming w-with us, right?"

Robin shook his head. "No. I'm going to cover your escape. When I say run— _run._ Got it?"

Robin opened the door and swept the room for danger, but all he saw were knocked out thugs lying everywhere. The jewelry store was a wreck.

There was no sign of Batman or the Scarecrow.

Robin pulled out his communicator. "Batman, where are you?"

There was no answer. He frowned and checked the tracker. Batman was moving fast towards the docks. _He must be chasing Scarecrow. I'll call Alfred and see what's up once I get these people out of harm's way._

Cautiously, Robin walked the two hostages to the store's front door. They slipped out ran towards the police.

 **"Close the door, kid."**

A gun clicked behind Robin's ear.

 _I'm so stupid!_ the hero thought, scowling deeply as he closed the door and raised his hands in surrender. _They must have been hiding or just pretending to be unconscious!_

"Oh good," the man behind him sneered, "he's a smart kid. Keep being smart and turn around, _Boy Wonder_. Do it nice and slow."

Irritated, Robin followed directions and found himself glaring at two henchmen who both wore gas masks.

One of them was turned away and talking on his phone. He put it away and said, "Good news, Frankie! Our guy in the GCPD came through. We got a ride waiting out back. Boss says to bring the kid in alive."

"But Lou, what if the Bat _does_ show up?" Frankie asked. He kept his gun trained on Robin's head.

"Don't sweat it. We got the little one," Lou assured him. "If that thing shows up, we can always use the kid as leverage. Besides, you want to be the one telling the boss you let the kid go?"

"I'd rather put a bullet in his head and be done with it," Frankie said. "But all right. Listen up, Boy Wonder. You make one stupid move and I'll shoot. Keep your hands up where I can see them."

* * *

 **The two henchmen shoved Robin towards the back of the jewelry store and through a rear exit. Behind the store there wasn't a single cop in the alley. There was, however, a black car with tinted windows. Lou opened both of the back doors and slid into the left side. He slammed his door shut.**

The gun dug into the back of Robin's head. The Titan took a deep breath to keep his annoyance in check.

 _Wait for an opening,_ he told himself. _If I get shot again he might fire me a second time. Maybe for good..._

"Get in. On the right side." Frankie ordered.

 _Well, at least they haven't thought to take away my weapons. Or my communicator. If I can't get away on my own, Batman can use it to track me down._

Robin slipped into the car and Frankie followed him with the gun still inches from his head. Robin was stuck between the two thugs. He frowned as the other door was shut.

"The boss says to drop all three of you off at Third Avenue," the driver said, pulling away from the store. "He wants you to take that kid down in the sewers and wait for him."

"Sounds great," Frankie said sarcastically. During the short ride he kept his gun pressed against Robin's temple.

Robin kept his glare fixed on Frankie.

"I don't like that mask," Frankie grumbled as the car turned onto Third Avenue and parked by a dumpster. "I can't tell where you're looking. Take it off."

"Not happening," Robin said. "Why are you still wearing that gas mask? Do you really think it'll do you any good? Scarecrow's been known to give his henchmen faulty masks in the past, you know."

"Shut up," Frankie snapped. "That reverse psychology crap only works in the movies, kid."

* * *

 **Once out of the car, the two henchmen marched Robin towards a manhole. Lou bent down to remove it. Frankie made Robin stand with his hands against the graffiti-covered alley wall like a suspect about to be arrested.**

"Sure you want to go down there?" Robin asked, glancing over his shoulder at Frankie. "Killer Croc likes Park Row, and he'd love to eat a fat guy like you."

"Maybe I'll throw you to him as an appetizer, huh punk?" Frankie snatched Robin by the back of his hoodie and yanked him away from the wall. He held the gun to the hero's head again.

"Why would he need an appetizer?" Robin muttered as he was pushed towards the opened manhole. "He could eat you and go into hibernation for _years._ "

"As soon as we get down to the lair, I swear to god kid, I'm finding the duct tape and shutting you up!" Frankie roughly walked the boy forward. "I can't wait to see what Scarecrow has planned for you."

"Nah, he ain't going down there," said a new voice. "But you two idiots are."

Frankie gasped. Along with Lou, he whipped around, but he wisely kept his gun pressed against the Titan's head.

"Who the hell are you?" Lou demanded; his gun aimed at the huge man approaching them.

"My friends call me Hijack." The man laughed. "Well, my enemies call me that, too, I guess."

Robin sized him up. The man was really tall and muscular. He wore a red costume and blue armor. His face was completely covered up by a red mask, but the eyes of the mask were white like Robin's, only way smaller. He had quite the arsenal of weapons strapped to his body. Even a sword.

"And you're _Robin,_ right?" Hijack asked, coming to a stop about ten feet from the captured hero. "The Boy Wonder himself. I've been looking for you all night."

Confused, Robin was about to ask why, but Frankie was getting impatient. He pressed the gun hard enough against Robin's head to make the hero grimace.

"Well we found him first," Frankie said, backing towards the sewer with Robin. "This kid belongs to Scarecrow. If you want a shot at him, you'll have to talk to the boss!"

Hijack laughed and regarded Robin again. "You're a popular little thing, aren't you?"

His attention shifted back to the thugs, and the jovial tone dropped from his voice. "How about this offer? You back off from that kid now, and I'll let you live. Make me wait another minute and I'm going to break your necks and stuff your corpses down into that sewer you seem so keen on getting into."

"We don't have time for this guy," Frankie snapped. "Shoot him, Lou!"

 **All Robin saw next was a red and blue blur. Frankie was ripped away. There were screams. A hideous crunching noise, and as Robin whirled around, he saw Hijack standing by the open sewer.**

Robin's mouth fell open in shock. His eyes switched between the man and the dark hole in the street. "Did you… Did you really kill them?"

Hijack chuckled and slid the manhole cover back over the hole with one of his boots. "Of course not. They're fine. I promise. And hey, trapped down there they can't bother you again tonight, right?"

Swallowing, Robin nodded. "I guess not. Um, thanks for your help, Hijack."

He gave the manhole another uneasy glance. "I've got to go."

Robin turned and pulled out his grapple gun. He aimed it for a rooftop, but suddenly his arm was seized in a grip that rivaled Starfire's. He gasped as the limb was twisted behind his back and a large hand clamped over his mouth. His cry was muffled and he was pulled back tight against Hijack's armored chest. He kicked at the man's legs, but Hijack gave his arm a brutal twist, and with a muffled scream, Robin limited his struggles to trying to relieve the intense pressure building in his shoulder socket.

 _I knew something was up with this guy!_ _He said he'd been looking for me. What does he want?_

"Stop squirming or I swear I'll pop this arm right out," Hijack warned in his ear. "My mom caught me twisting the heads off of little birds when I was a kid. I would twist until there was a little _pop_ noise. They struggled, the tiny things, just like you're struggling now, but nothing could save them. They didn't know that—but I did. It would take nothing for me to break your arm, or your neck, or any part of you for that matter. So stop moving, or I'll _make_ you stop."

Robin's instincts screamed at him to comply. Though every muscle in his body remained on edge, he forced himself to stop fighting. He concentrated instead on bringing his panicked breathing and heart rate back under control.

"Good boy. You know. I've been thinking of what to do with you," Hijack said, lifting Robin off of his feet. He walked further up the alley with Robin tucked against him as if the boy weighed nothing. His hand stayed over the hero's mouth.

"You're the last one he cares about, after all, so I should make this one truly memorable. I was kind of in a rush with the others," Hijack said. They rounded into another alley. It was a dead end.

 **A shadow passed over them.**

Hijack looked up. His eyes narrowed. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll rip it out."

Hijack removed his hand from Robin's face and pulled out a gun. It was loaded with darts that were filled with a blue liquid.

A Batarang zipped from the shadows and sliced across his fingers. Hijack growled, accidentally dropping his gun. Before he could reclaim it Batman threw a series of smoke pellets and the villain found himself shrouded in thick smoke.

Right away Robin started kicking and punching the villain's body again, although his efforts didn't seem to phase the man at all.

Hijack moved warily through the smoke; his mask protected him from inhaling too much of it, but he was still blinded. There was a powerful kick to his jaw that he was sure came from the Bat. Cursing, Hijack stumbled backwards. He kept his arm hooked around the struggling boy and backed up against the alley's wall.

"Back off or I'll break this kid's spine!" he threatened; squeezing Robin until the Titan cried out in pain.

In response there were two more punches to his face.

Snarling, Hijack groped in the smoke and managed to catch the older hero by what felt like a forearm. He yanked Batman forward and slammed him into the alley wall. Hijack moved to attack again, but his fist found only the brick wall. It smashed into it hard enough to shatter some of the bricks. Frusrated, he realized that Batman had evaded him yet again.

Batman continued to pummel the villain in quick, calculated strikes. He threw another smoke pellet to keep his advantage. With his cowl he could see perfectly fine in both darkness and through the thick screen of smoke. He landed a brutal strike to Hijack's neck, and with a strangled gasp, the man released Robin at last. The coughing boy darted away from him.

"Run!" Batman ordered. "I'm right behind you!"

Unlike his mentor, Robin couldn't see in the smoke. He blindly ran and fortunately didn't smack straight into an alley wall. His heart hammered in his chest as he rounded the alley corner and into clear air. He ran another few feet before using his grapple gun to escape the streets. Up on the roof of a bakery, the Titan collapsed to catch his breath. He expected Batman to join him any second, but when the older didn't show, Robin cautiously peered over the roof edge.

He stifled a gasp. Down in the alley below was Hijack. He watched as the villain tore a dumpster lid off of its hinges and looked inside. Finding nothing, Hijack slammed the lid back down and angrily continued his search.

 **Robin reached for his communicator, but a hand seized him by the shoulder and another covered his mouth for the second time that night.**

"It's me," Batman quickly whispered into his ear, and Robin sagged in relief as the older hero released him. "Let's go. Whatever that man is, we're not prepared to take him down yet."

"He said his name is Hijack." Robin followed Batman onto the next roof. "I was captured by two of Scarecrow's men at the jewelry store. They were trying to take me to his lair. Apparently it's in the sewers now. But then that guy showed up. I think he killed them. Where were you?"

Batman led them down a fire escape. He didn't want to use his grappling gun; wary that the noise might attract the man, or whatever that was, that had attacked his ward. "Scarecrow had a canister of his fear toxin. He threatened to use on the police, but it turned out to be a fake. Still, he managed to get outside. I lost him at the docks. Alfred contacted me and said you weren't answering your communicator, so I used its signal to track you down."

 **Batman grabbed Robin and pulled him close.**

He crouched down with the boy and wrapped his dark cape around them both. They were in the middle of the fire escape—still three floors from street level, when Hijack jumped off the roof they'd just been on. He passed them in a blur and landed effortlessly in the alley below. He looked both ways and back up before stalking off.

"We can't let that guy just waltz around the city," Robin whispered. "He'll start hurting people. Maybe even just to get us to face him again. He said he'd been looking for me all night."

Still crouching on the stairwell, Batman pulled out his communicator. "Alfred."

" _Did you find Robin, sir?"_

"He's here with me now," Batman assured. "See what you can find out about a man who goes by the handle _Hijack_. He's some kind of modified human."

"Maybe we should call for help," Robin said. "This guy is ridiculously strong. Like _Superman_ strong."

Batman narrowed his eyes down at the younger hero. "Bane was stronger."

Robin scoffed. He fiddled with his own communicator. "If you say so."

"What else did he say to you before I arrived?"

"He said I was the last one that 'he' cares about," Robin said. "Hijack didn't say who 'he' was, but I figured he meant you."

"It sounds like he's working off a list," Batman said. "If you're the last one, then we need to find out who his previous victims were."

"Maybe Scarecrow hired him," Robin figured. He exposed the wires in his communicator and rerouted some of them, and grinned when the device came fully back online.

"Not his style."

"Who else would want to kill me?" Robin wondered. Batman shot him another look. " _Lately,_ I mean."

* * *

 **There was a loud crash followed by screams. Right away the two vigilantes grappled their way towards the commotion. Out in the main street there were people running everywhere. There were several wrecked cars. They spotted Hijack standing next to a flipped city bus. He held the driver in the air.**

Upon seeing Batman and Robin, Hijack tossed the old man aside. "There you are! Get down here and save these people! What kind of heroes are you, anyway?"

Hijack kicked the bus and terrified screams came from the inside.

"Robin, you get the people on the bus. I'll distract our new friend," Batman said. He then glided down and landed directly on top of the bus. He glared down at Hijack, who swaggered closer.

Beneath his mask, Hijack grinned. "Well, well. I guess I'll have to go through you to get to him after all. To tell you the truth, I kind of figured this would happen."

As Robin swung down to the street, he flung a series of flash discs at Hijack. They hit the villain and Robin couldn't help but smirk at the man's frustrated snarl. Batman attacked. Robin landed near the bus and threw four of his smoke pellets to provide his mentor with cover.

 _That's all I can do to help Batman for now,_ he told himself, focusing on the trapped citizens. He hurried to the back of the bus and used his bo-staff to pry open the jammed emergency rear exit. Over his shoulder, he could hear Batman and Hijack fighting. He glanced back at them and saw that Batman was leading the villain in circles within the shroud of smoke.

As soon as Robin got the door open, the people inside started tumbling out. They were bruised and bleeding.

"Just go!" Robin told them. "Go find shelter in a building!"

 **A blast of energy knocked him right off his feet.**

Robin hit the ground hard. He heard several more blasts and the people around him were also shot down. When the attack ceased, Robin pushed himself up and swept his gaze around to assess the situation. He looked down at his body and saw that he was uninjured.

"What happened?" a woman beside him asked. Mascara stains on her cheeks gave away the fact that she'd been crying. "I swear something hit me!"

A man helped her up from the ground and said, "I was hit, too. It knocked me right off my feet."

People started gathering around Robin. An older man offered him his hand and pulled Robin up to his feet.

"What do you think that was?" he asked the young hero.

"I don't know," Robin admitted, "but I promise I'll find out. Look, I need to help Batman. Do you think you could get these people to safety for me? I..."

Robin paused. His mouth fell open in shock.

Scarecrow stood across the street under a light pole. Apparently satisfied that he had Robin's attention, the villain turned on his heel and sprinted up the street.

"Wait! Get back here!" Robin tore after him; his bo-staff extended. He looked back as he ran and saw that Hijack as also on the run, but in the opposite direction. Batman was following.

Robin refocused on Scarecrow. His steel-toed boots flew across the pavement. _I can't afford any mistakes! He'll disappear if I don't catch up to him!_

Scarecrow scaled a fire escape, and Robin followed. He ran and jumped across rooftops to keep up with the villain.

"Batman, I'm chasing Scarecrow!" Robin said breathlessly into his communicator. "He's got some kind of laser weapon!"

" _Were you hit?"_

"Maybe." Robin leapt over a parapet and onto a new roof. He grinned. He was gaining on Scarecrow. "Did you get Hijack?"

 _"No. He dove into the river when I ripped off his mask. I'm hoping my cowl managed to capture an image of his face. Where are you?"_

"Up on the roofs. Still in Park Row and near the movie theatre." Robin ran up a slanted roof and half-ran, half-skidded down the other sloped side. He jumped a short gap to the next roof.

" _I'm on my way,"_ Batman said. _"Be careful. If you run into Hijack again, don't engage. If he doesn't see you then hide. If he does, just keep running."_

* * *

 **Soaring over Park Row, Raven's soul-self gazed down and saw Robin running across a rooftop.**

 _That's the Scarecrow he's chasing. Maybe I should help._

But Raven didn't want to risk Batman showing up and catching her in the act, so she left Robin and doubled back south in her search for Bumblebee. She'd swept over buildings and through the streets. To anyone who noticed her, she appeared to be a terrifying shadow in the shape of a bird.

Something drew her to the large bridge that connected Gotham's north and central islands. It was there that she found Bumblebee. The young hero was tiny—like a pixie in a fairy tale. She sat on a concrete support beam; her arms resting on her knees. Her wings were torn and a piece of her uniform was wrapped around her upper left thigh like a bandage.

Raven changed into a shadow version of her normal self and shrunk down to the tiny size of her friend. She joined her on the concrete beam.

"Raven! I'm so glad you're here!" Bumblebee said. "Please tell me Robin's okay! He's okay, isn't he?"

 _Yes,_ Raven assured, speaking directly into the other Titan's mind. _He's on a mission with Batman. What happened to you?_

Bumblebee scowled. "What happened is I got shot out of the sky by some punk kid standing on his balcony. He's lucky he knocked me out, and he better _pray_ I don't run across him again! He got my wings and my leg. When I woke up on the ground both my Stingers and my communicator were missing. I tried to get help from the police, but get this—they tried to arrest me! _Me!_ A hero! I got away from them only to start running into Gotham's Most Wanted on every street corner, so I tried going tiny to get the target off my back. But then I swear every cat in Gotham suddenly had GPS on me. It took a lot of hide and seek, but I finally found this bridge to take cover under. I've been sitting here for hours trying to think of a way to contact you guys."

 _What do you need to tell us? Please hurry—I need to return to my body soon._

"Two nights ago someone tried to kill Speedy," Bumblebee explained. "He was the first person back from patrol, and when he got up to the living room, he found this giant armored-up guy waiting for him inside the Tower. The man asked if Speedy was Robin. You can imagine how Speedy reacted to _that_."

 _Then what happened?_

"The man told Speedy if he didn't tell him how to find the Boy Wonder, he'd kill him. Speedy told him where to stuff it, and the guy started shooting up the place. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, Raven, but ya'll need a new couch, and your big screen's definitely toast."

 _Those things are replaceable. What happened to Speedy?_

"He fought back, but his arrows just bounced right off the dude's armor. Lucky for Speedy though, the rest of us happened to get home. We got there right when the big guy had him pinned against the wall. He'd broken Speedy's arm, and he was threatening to pull it all the way off if Speedy didn't cooperate. We all attacked and Mr. Ninja Assassin decided to make his exit. But Raven… it was really strange. He was _winning_ when he took off. If he wanted to, he could have killed us. Still, I promise we spent all night trying to find the jerk, but he was super-fast; especially for such a huge guy."

 _What did he look like?_

"Super tall," Bumblebee said. "He was decked out in weapons and wore this red getup with blue armor. His whole face was covered up. I mean, you couldn't even see his mouth or his nose. His eyes were white, but I think that was part of the mask, and his hair was brown. It stuck out the back and looked like a straight up rat's nest. Sound like someone you guys know?"

 _Not unless Robin knows him_. _How do you know the attacker didn't follow you here to Gotham?_

"What choice did we have? You all turned off your communicators," Bumblebee said. "Besides, Robin and Batman were all over the national news the other night anyway trying to catch that Scarecrow nut. Sure it was just some three-second clip of them together, but—"

 _But it's enough that anyone searching for Robin would know where to look next. Thanks for letting us know. And… we're sorry that Speedy got hurt._

"Hey, no sweat! We know you guys got our backs, too," Bumblebee said with a confident smile. She glanced down at her wounded leg. "Now I just gotta figure out how to get back to Jump."

 _I can heal your injuries,_ Raven said, _but not like this. You'll have to come with me. We're staying in a hotel, but it's a secret that we're there. You have to promise me that you'll keep your voice low. If someone hears us, it could jeopardize the entire mission. As soon as you're healed you have to leave Gotham. Do you understand?_

Bumblebee blinked. "Wow. That serious, huh? Don't worry about me. I'll be quiet as a mouse. Scout's honor!"

* * *

 **Raven morphed into a shadow that enveloped the tiny hero. Bumblebee gasped. She couldn't see or hear anything—but she could feel the cold. Her body felt like it had been plunged into a bath of ice.**

And then suddenly she was in a huge bedroom surrounded by the Titans. She was also her normal size and lying on a king-sized bed. Bumblebee sat up and looked curiously around. "Wow. Nice hotel."

"Hey, Bee," Cyborg greeted from the foot of the bed. "Raven's been filling us in. Thanks for coming all this way to warn us about that crazy ninja guy."

"Yes," Starfire hovered close, her green eyes concerned. "We are most welcome."

Raven sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand over Bumblebee's wounded thigh. She used her power to disintegrate the bullet. The particles then passed through her friend's leg without causing the slightest pain.

"Cool trick." Bumblebee grinned. "So Robin's off doing his Dynamic Duo thing with Batman? You guys warned him, right?"

"Not yet," Raven admitted as white, ethereal light spread from her fingers. She pressed her hand to Bumblebee's thigh. "But don't worry. I would know if something were wrong."

"How?" Bumblebee asked. She shivered under the cold touch of Raven's magic.

"They've got like this creepy psychic connection," Beast Boy explained, wiggling his fingers on either side of his head. "I think they use it beat us in card games all the time."

Raven scoffed. "I've told you before, that's not how it works. Let me see your back, Bumblebee. I think I can repair your wings."

"Great! But I don't suppose you guys can fill me in on why you're all out here in Gotham in the first place _and_ being so darn secretive about it? And hey, this place sure has high ceilings for a hotel room. And where's the bathroom?" Bumblebee asked.

"Your wings should work now," Raven said, pleased by how quickly and easily the soft wings had knitted back to their normal state. "You promised you'd leave, so when you wake up, don't look for us. Thanks again for warning us about the attacker."

Bumblebee's mouth fell open. _Since when does Raven have four eyes? And why are they glowing at me like that!?_

 **But Bumblebee didn't have time to think about it. She fell backwards on the comforter and was deeply asleep.**

"Okay," Beast Boy said, "Can I just admit that after seeing you guys look like normal people for almost a week that now it's kind of weird to see you with the holo-watches turned off?"

"You're the weirdest looking out of all of us," Raven said. "I almost forgot how green you are."

Cyborg said, "So who could this guy be? He doesn't sound like anyone we've come up against before. Do you think Robin knows him?"

"I don't think so," Raven said. "The person couldn't tell Speedy from Robin. He just knows that Robin lives at the Tower, and perhaps a general description of what he looks like."

"Dude, maybe it's a hitman," Beast Boy said. He glanced at Starfire and added, "That's a bad guy hired to kill someone for money."

Her green eyes widened. "But who would hire such a person to kill Robin?"

Cyborg said, "Hate to break it, Star, but Robin's probably got more personal enemies than friends. I mean, how could he not? He's been at this game half his life. There's no telling who could've hired that guy to take him out."

Beast Boy added, "Or maybe it's just some whacko who wants to use Robin to get to Batman."

"All we can do is speculate until we have more information. We should —" Raven gasped and dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach in breathless pain.

"Raven!" Beast Boy cried. He knelt beside her and held the young sorceress by her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Cyborg and Starfire knelt beside her in concern, too.

Raven's eyes squeezed tight. Her teeth grinded together. "So… much… pain. My body. It's on fire."

Raven grabbed both sides of her head and cried out. Her powers made the walls in the room turn pitch black. The Titans gasped and looked around at the complete, consuming darkness. To their horror, red eyes began to open all over the blackened walls.

"Raven, what are you doing!?" Cyborg asked, afraid. "Stop this!"

Raven opened her eyes. They were red, too. All four of them. She gasped in pain and tears escaped down her cheeks.

"It really hurts," she managed, looking at Beast Boy, and the young sorceress fell unconscious. The room returned to normal.

"Raven!" Beast Boy caught her and carefully lowered his friend to the carpeted floor. He looked up at the other Titans. His eyes were fearful. "What's going on? What's wrong with her?"

"Was she perhaps being attacked by an invisible monster?" Starfire's eyes and hands glowed green as she warily looked around the bedroom.

"I don't think so," Cyborg said. "We'll have to wait for her to wake up to find out. Come on. Let's get her up next to Bee."

* * *

 **In the city, Robin's body finally stopped rolling across the rooftop. He realized the hideous pain that had wracked him from head to toe was gone and managed to get up to his knees.**

"What was that?" he whispered, breathing hard. The pain had been so sudden and intense. His heart beat so fast in his chest he thought it might explode.

He looked ahead and saw that Scarecrow stood on the opposite end of the rooftop.

The villain regarded him with a huff. "That was supposed to send you into unconsciousness. You really are a stubborn boy. Still, I was wondering how long he'd let this little charade carry on. Someday I'll have to show him that my time isn't to be trifled with."

Robin struggled to his feet while echoes of the pain still traveled throughout his body. "Who are you talking about? Are you working with Hijack?"

Instead of answering him, Scarecrow advanced on the Titan. His pale eyes were alive with hate. He had a syringe filled with sickly yellow liquid in his hand. It was _Paranoia,_ the liquid version of his _Scare Dust_.

"I think it's time to go off script," Scarecrow said. "If he won't end this, then I will."

Robin brought up his bo-staff—prepared to knock the villain back—but hideous pain erupted in his body again. The Titan cried out and fell back to his knees, clutching his stomach.

 _What's going on? What is this!?_ He looked down at himself and realized through the pain that his whole body was glowing orange and yellow—as if he were on fire inside—and that's what it felt like—like he'd been skinned alive and now his muscles were being drenched in corrosive acid.

His bo-staff was wrenched from his hands and tossed aside. Scarecrow grabbed for him, but Robin twisted away and ran. The pain made him stumble and fall. He pushed himself up and kept running. Through his confusion and fear, the Titan knew he'd felt this pain before.

He'd seen this strange glow.

"Slade," Robin said the name bitterly. _Scarecrow must have shot me with his nanoscopic probes. Maybe they traded before—Scare Dust for a laser that could deliver the probes. If that's so, than Scarecrow must have the trigger._ _But I can't let him inject me with Paranoia. I've got to get away._

"Batman!" Robin yelled into his communicator as he ran, "Where are you? You have to watch out! Scarecrow has a laser that—huh?" He realized his communicator wasn't working again. The screen was nothing but static.

"There's no point in running from your fears, boy!" Scarecrow called after him. "They always catch up to you in the end."

"Let's see you catch me up here!" Robin fired his grappling hook and was pulled hundreds of feet higher to a skyscraper's roof. At the top, he looked down to see that Scarecrow was nothing but a tiny dot against the snow-covered roof he'd just escaped.

Breathing hard, Robin pulled out his communicator again, but the screen still buzzed with static. _I wonder if it got damaged or if someone's jamming it. I hope Batman's not having the same problem. Maybe I should go back to the car._

The Titan looked out over the city. Even though it was nighttime, the streets far, far below were full of people and cars moving steadily under the neon lights of bars and restaurants.

He glanced back to the rooftop where he'd left Scarecrow behind, and to his surprise, the villain was still there. Robin couldn't make out his features, but he could imagine those pale, malevolent eyes glaring up at him.

 _Why is he just watching me?_ Unease crept around the back of Robin's neck. _Better yet, why doesn't he activate the probes? If he left them on long enough he could kill me, or at least make me lose consciousness._

A thought occurred. _What if it was Hijack that busted him out of Arkham? If they're working together, then Hijack might be the one who shot me with the laser, and he could be the one triggering the probes, too._

Robin frowned. It felt like he was being herded right into a trap. He stepped away from the roof's edge so that Scarecrow could no longer see his position.

 _He'll have to assume I'm still up here or that I've jumped off the side he can't see from his vantage point. Either way, he still has tabs on me. I could try going through the building to get away, but that could put innocent people in danger. My best bet is to get back to the car. I can use it to contact Batman or Alfred._

 _But it's also possible that Hijack knows where we left the car. Maybe I should go to the Bat-Signal. It's just a few blocks away. If Batman's communicator is messed up, too, then maybe he'll come if I make it blink an SOS._

Robin ran to the edge of the roof where Scarecrow wouldn't be able to see him and jumped into the air. He grappled across the street to another skyscraper's roof, quickly pulling himself over the concrete railing that ringed the rooftop. He ran across. His eyes were on the Signal high in the dark clouds. The GCPD seemed far away, but Robin knew it would only take him minutes to grapple and swing his way there. He only had to hurry. He did not hesitate when he leapt off the roof and fired his grapple gun for the next.

 **The moment his foot left the roof, the probes activated**.

"No!" Robin's body contorted in pain. His fingers somehow lost the grapple, and gravity snatched him from the sky.

The hungry street waited below.

The air was so cold Robin believed it might strip the skin from his face. The probes burned inside him.

He didn't try to control the fall.

He knew there was no point.

He was falling too fast.

There was nothing in his utility belt that could save him.

Robin wanted to scream, but he was in too much pain, or perhaps too much shock.

He could only fall.

In his mind, he saw his parents.

 _This is what they felt._

* * *

Slade caught the hero and landed safely on a parapet. In his arms, Robin looked up at him in pain and confusion. The boy was probably wondering how a mere police officer had managed to pull off such a death-defying rescue. Of course, even if Robin could see his face behind the helmet's dark visor, Slade knew the boy wouldn't recognize him.

"Who are you? What's going on?" the Titan asked in a strained voice. The probes stabbed at his stomach and Robin curled in on himself; unintentionally tucking further into Slade's chest.

"You fell, and I caught you," Slade said; his hand quickly covering the boy's mouth even as those masked eyes widened in recognition of his voice.

"I've shot you and a dozen other people with an updated, more advanced version of my nanoscopic probes," Slade explained. "As you can tell, Robin, the probes have been activated. You'll be unconscious in less than a minute."

Robin glowered up at him; his muffled cries growing angry. His body stiffened, however, as the probes sent a fresh wave of pain washing over him. It felt like hot, scalding water being poured on him from head to toe. He struggled to fight back both against Slade and the pain; the probes made it difficult to concentrate on anything else. He couldn't escape the consuming pain.

"Forty seconds, Robin. Just relax. Trust me. This is for your own good," Slade said in a tone that was both calming and malevolent.

He watched the boy suffer a moment more before adding, "It's quite remarkable, really. You've stayed conscious longer than anyone I've ever subjected to this level. You truly are one of a kind ...my Apprentice."

Robin's eyes widened again, but then he shook his head, dismissing what he was sure was just another one of Slade's mind games.

"Perhaps if we go up a level," Slade said.

Robin lost his breath as sudden, violent bursts of pain scattered throughout his body; like a thousand pins and needles shooting through his skin and burrowing down deep into his muscles. Robin's hands balled into fists, his body went rigid with pain, and he screamed in agony against Slade's palm before finally passing out.

Slade pushed a button and the probes ceased their assault on the hero's unconscious body.

 **" _Robin!"_ called a voice. It was the Dark Knight.**

Slade jumped off the parapet to the streets not far below. Landing with the boy still in his arms, he darted into the shadows of Crime Alley.

* * *

 **Minutes later Slade ran past the Scarecrow, who waited in the shadows. The two exchanged a glance, and with an animal grin, the Scarecrow pushed himself from the alley wall and started walking back in the direction that Slade had run from.**

Soon Batman was upon him. He swept down on the Scarecrow and flattened the villain onto the pavement. Before Scarecrow could react, he was hauled up from the ground and slammed hard against an alley wall. Disoriented, he clutched at the Dark Knight's wrist as Batman's hand pinned him to the wall. The vigilante's gloved fingers wrapped tight around his throat.

Menace laced each word that Batman spoke. "Where is the boy?"

"Dead? Dying?" Scarecrow struggled; his feet dangling in the air and his fingers scrabbling to put some space between Batman's hand and his throat. "Who knows what's happening to the little cretin! My job was to distract you. Evidently I'm quite proficient at the task!"

"What are you talking about?" Batman's grip tightened. "Tell me!"

The villain choked. His pale eyes brimmed with hate. His lips were sealed.

"If you don't, I'm going to start breaking you," Batman warned, leaning closer. "This is your last chance, Crane. Where is Robin?"

"You're the detective," Scarecrow sneered. "Surely such a simple puzzle isn't beyond your intellect."

Without reply, Batman grabbed the villain by his left arm and gave the limb a vicious twist—it broke at the elbow with a loud crack—eliciting a strangled scream from the Scarecrow's throat.

"I'll kill you for that!" the villain swore. "I'll find out who you are, and I'll kill you and everyone you hold dear!"

"Tell me where Robin is or I'll break the other one," Batman promised in return, shoving Scarecrow even harder against the wall. "You have two seconds, Crane."

Two seconds passed and he grabbed Scarecrow by the other arm and swung the villain to the ground. Batman planted a boot in the middle of his back and kept the arm held hostage—twisted above Scarecrow. At such an angle, both men knew it would take nothing for the limb to be wrenched to the side and pulled brutally from its socket.

With a baleful glower, Scarecrow snarled, "I don't care if he's an assassin—I'll not become a cripple!"

"Then tell me what you know," Batman said. "What assassin?"

Scarecrow grinned; detecting a hint of alarm in the Dark Knight's voice. "Deathstroke the Terminator. He got me out of the asylum, but on the condition that I would help him get his hands on your precious sidekick and distract you while he escaped with the boy. They're probably in the sewers. It's where I was supposed to send him if the opportunity arose."

"I hope," Scarecrow added, "that he makes him _suffer_ —that the boy's last moments are terrifying. He's probably down there screaming even as we speak, wondering why the Batman has abandoned him to die alone with his tormenter in such a cold, dark place."

Scarecrow started laughing; the sound was mad and cruel.

 **Unable to stand another second of it, Batman knocked him out. He left Scarecrow on the pavement.**

"Alfred, Robin's been taken by Deathstroke the Terminator. Scarecrow claims they went down into the sewer." Batman's eyes scanned every direction of Park Row.

" _Good Lord, is the young master all right?"_

"I don't know, but it's safe to assume he's injured. Robin wouldn't have gone down without a fight."

" _Should I alert the Titans, sir?"_

"No. I don't have time to worry about them. I have to find Robin before Deathstroke gets out of the city, and for now they'd just slow me down," Batman said. "Besides, for all we know he could be targeting all of them."

" _Sir, the locator on Robin's communicator just came back online. He's roughly two kilometers south of your current position and moving at a slow pace. Are you reading him?"_

Batman checked his gauntlet, and sure enough, Robin's symbol was tracking across the blue screen. "Got him. Looks like Scarecrow may be telling the truth. He's underground, Alfred. Send me a map of North Gotham's traversable sewer system."

" _Be on your guard, sir. This may well be a trap or another diversionary tactic,"_ Alfred said as the Dark Knight ran towards the nearest sewer entrance.

"Have you found anything on Hijack yet?"

 _"Nothing as of yet, sir."_

"I'll send you the captured images of him from my cowl. Maybe it'll help. It's possible that Hijack's working with Deathstroke, too. If there's a connection between them, we need to find it."

" _The three of them working in tandem? What on Earth could they possibly be planning?"_

"Don't worry, Alfred." Batman angrily shoved a manhole cover aside. He dropped down into the sewer tunnel; his boots squelching against the slime and muck.

"Whatever new game Deathstroke is up to, I'm not playing it—I'm ending it."

* * *

 **1)** In the comics Wade LaFarge uses the name _Ravager_ to mess with Slade's head during one of his revenge campaigns because Grant Wilson was killed as the first Ravager. In this story, Grant's already dead and will never have the opportunity to become the first Ravager, so Wade uses the name _Hijack_ because in my head canon he's been working as a mercenary for terrorist groups to amass his own fortune.


	8. Hijacked

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Rated T for language and violence.

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Eight:** Hijacked

* * *

"Okay, Operation Get Bee the Heck Outta Here has commenced!" Cyborg said. "So, anyone happen to know just how Robin came poppin' outta my closet earlier?"

"All I see is your suitcase and some hangers," Beast Boy said, kneeling to examine the base of the closet's back wall. He gave it a few knocks. "Seems pretty solid to me."

"Perhaps there is some trick we must perform to gain access," Starfire suggested as she pushed gently on the wall with both hands, causing a thin layer of dust to puff free from the wall. It made her nose itch, and before she could stop herself, the alien girl sneezed so hard a starbolt shot from her eyes; blasting a huge hole in the wall.

"Oh no!" she cried.

"Yikes!" Beast Boy scrambled away from the blast zone. The top of his hair was singed black. "Starfire! I'm not ready to be bald!"

"You think Alfred heard that?" Cyborg asked, and the panicked teens froze; waiting for some kind of alarm to sound, for Alfred to come storming in, for a Bat-SWAT team to break through the windows and catch them red-handed not only with Bumblebee in the house, but actually destroying Bruce Wayne's property!

But nothing happened.

The Titans sighed in relief, and together they peered through the giant gap in the wall. Past its blistered edges, they could see a narrow staircase that led down into blinding darkness.

"I guess that's one way to find a secret passage," Cyborg said. "Good job, Starfire."

"Dude, what if Alfred finds out?" Beast Boy asked, glancing nervously at the bedroom door. "This is worse than getting some stupid spaghetti on the walls!"

Cyborg' tried to sound confident. "No worries, man! We'll just get Raven to patch it up before he can notice."

"Speaking of Raven... I think I should stay with her," Beast Boy said, moving to the bed where both Raven and Bumblebee lay unconscious. He frowned down at the stressed expression Raven still wore.

Beast Boy turned back to his friends and said, "Who's gonna sneak Bumblebee out? And where to? I mean, after the way Robin talked about Gotham, I don't think we can just leave her someplace random."

Cyborg said, "Well, if Raven would just wake up already, she could take her like we originally planned, snap Bee conscious, and send the girl on her merry way back to Jump."

He sighed and more quietly added, "At this point I just hope Raven _does_ wake up soon so we can find out what happened to her. That demon-wall mess is gonna give me nightmares for months. I hope she's all right. In the mean time, we'll just have to do our best without her."

Starfire touched Cyborg's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I am sure she will be fine. Raven is a strong warrior. As for Bumblebee, I will carry her across the bay to the City of Metropolis."

"Yeah, I guess Metropolis does have a better rep than Gotham in terms of safety," Cyborg said. "All right, but make sure you drop Bee off somewhere she'll be safe until she wakes up on her own. You have to get back here right away, okay?"

Starfire nodded. She considered the dark staircase and then looked back to Cyborg. "Before I attempt the sneaking, I think it would be wise to first determine where this passage leads."

"Good point. I'll check it out," Cyborg said. "Beast Boy, how about you turn into a bug or something and stake out the hallway. Let Starfire know if Alfred or anybody else is coming. Star, you stick with Raven and Bee. I'll try to be right back."

* * *

 **Cyborg stepped through the giant hole in the closet, carefully wedging himself to keep from breaking even more of the wall. A small search light lifted from his left shoulder. It allowed Cyborg to see several feet ahead, but there wasn't much to take in; both the stairs and the walls were painted black.**

As he descended the narrow stairs, Cyborg thought, _Man, Rob is not gonna like us turning his house into Swiss cheese. Of course, he'd probably like it even less if Batman or Alfred found out about Bee being under their roof, or if she wakes up and realizes where she's at. I guess this whole secret identity thing really is a house of cards._

The staircase led to a hallway. Every inch of it was painted black. It made Cyborg feel claustrophobic.

 _Looks like I have to pick a direction. Right or left?_

 _Let's try left._

 _Please, please, please let this lead to an exit!_

Cyborg followed the left side of the hallway until he reached another staircase. As he went down the black steps, his cybernetic eye alerted him to a change in the wall to his right. He paused and went back a few steps to closely examine the part of the wall that had triggered his sensors. He lightly tapped it, and gasped when a secret panel in the wall slid open without a sound.

 _Whoa! Secret rooms inside secret rooms!_ Cold air brushed against Cyborg's face as he ducked his head into the opening. He could hear a voice coming from below. It was Alfred.

" _Sir, he's moving towards street level again. Perhaps he'll exit this time,"_ the butler was saying.

Cyborg slipped through the opened panel and found himself on a suspended walkway. The light on his shoulder snapped back into his body and he inched across the walkway further into what appeared to be an enormous underground chamber. Giant stalactites hung from the ceiling.

 _Holy cow! This is it!_ Cyborg grinned; his eyes darting around the chamber. _Sweet Apple Pie on a Stick it's the Batcave!_ _Look at that computer! That thing is huge! And is that the Batwing? I'd sure love to test drive that baby! Look at those motorcycles! Look at all those things over there! Man—this place is awesome!_

Cyborg crept along the suspended walkways to see more of the massive chamber. He was thirty feet above the largest, flattest outcropping in the cave, which appeared to be the main threshold.

 _I bet that's where they park the Batmobile,_ he figured, noting old tire streaks on the stone floor. His gaze continued to sweep Batman's lair; finding the cave full of rooms and layers that were connected by both natural and man-made bridges.

There was a giant console of computers off to the side of the main threshold. Alfred was seated there. The butler was talking to Batman, but Cyborg wasn't listening. His eyes and mind were eating up the cave.

 _They got a lab and an infirmary. Is that platform for training? Definitely! Look at all those gymnastic-y things! I bet Rob uses those. I wish I could take a peek inside that room!_ Cyborg thought, eyeing a structure labeled _Armory._

"Sir, I don't think Deathstroke is merely leading you around down there with the hopes of losing you," Alfred said.

" _He's not,"_ replied Batman's voice from the console. _"If that were the case, he would have dropped Robin's communicator down a hole over an hour ago. He's deliberately leading me through the most difficult part of the sewers to navigate, but it's not to get me lost or to make me lose his trail. I think he's stalling for time, Alfred. As erratic as his movements seem, I'm starting to think Deathstroke had this route planned out from the beginning."_

 _Someone has Robin's communicator?_ Cyborg frowned and moved quietly until he was standing with a clear view of the console. For the first time, he looked closely at the images displayed on its various screens. There were pictures, scrawls of numbers, muted news channels, maps, and other data.

Cyborg saw the monitor displaying information on Deathstroke the Terminator and his eyes widened. _That's Slade! What's he doing in Gotham!?_

Alarmed, Cyborg zoomed his cybernetic eye in on the two other screens that displayed pictures. One was of the Scarecrow. The other showed a man labeled _Hijack_ that he didn't recognize, not until he suddenly recalled Bumblebee's description.

 _That_ 's _the guy that attacked Speedy! The one looking for Robin! Oh man, he's in Gotham, too!?_

Cyborg switched his gaze to the main screen. On it was a map of North Gotham's sewer system. Cyborg could see two signals flashing on the map—a blue bat symbol and a red stylized _R._ It was clear that Batman was pursing Robin's signal, but he was hundreds of feet behind.

 _What's going on out there?_ Cyborg worried. He wanted to jump down and ask Alfred, but hesitated. _I don't wanna rush into something and go gettin' the Titans in trouble with Batman... Maybe this isn't as bad as it looks._

"If I had to hazard a guess, sir, I'd say he's making his way towards the old subway junction below the Bowery, although he certainly doesn't seem to be in a hurry to get there," Alfred said as he keyed something into the console. A map of the Bowery appeared on a smaller screen. Cyborg watched as the map zoomed to below street level and switched to a map of a subway system. Most of the tunnels were marked _COLLAPSED._

" _I had the same thought,"_ Batman said. _"Because of the way the subway has decayed, some of his tunnels can be accessed from the sewers, but Deathstroke isn't making a direct path for any of them, and he's not trying to lose me down here. Still, his actions can't be random. Deathstroke always has a plan, Alfred. It could be that he's leading me around down here until some other piece of his plan falls into place."_

Alfred said, "Then you, too, sir, are still a piece important to his plan. Otherwise he wouldn't be leading you with Robin's signal. ...By chance, have you run into any… _indications_ of the young master's health?"

" _No,"_ Batman said. A few minutes passed before he spoke again. _"Maybe Deathstroke's waiting for the Titans to show up before he makes his next move."_

Cyborg heard the metal walkway creak and looked sharply to his right. He sagged in relief. It was only Beast Boy and Starfire sneaking towards him. They were both looking around the cave in wonder. Cyborg held a finger up to his lips.

 _Dude! What the heck? We waited forever!_ Beast Boy mouthed; his hands up in the air.

Cyborg held his finger up to his mouth again and then nodded his head meaningfully towards Alfred and the console. He mouthed to the other Titans, _Robin's in trouble!_

Beast Boy and Starfire looked down at the screens. They saw Slade, and the man Bumblebee described, and turned their startled eyes back to Cyborg for answers, but he was focused intently on the conversation happening below.

Information was scrawling down the screen next to the one that displayed a photo of Hijack.

Alfred said, "I ran the image your cowl captured of Hijack's face through several international databases. The analysis is complete. It appears our new friend is wanted worldwide by numerous agencies—including the FBI and Interpol. His real name is Wade LaFarge."

" _That name sounds familiar,"_ Batman replied, somewhat out of breath.

"As it should, sir," Alfred continued. "LaFarge is already in our own database. He's briefly mentioned in your case file on Deathstroke as Slade Wilson's younger half-brother and as a low-tier mercenary. He's been inactive for almost a decade."

The Titans looked at each other.

 _That stalker dude is Slade's brother!_ Beast Boy mouthed.

Cyborg's frown deepened. _Got a bad feeling about this..._ he thought to himself.

" _There was nothing low-tier or inactive about him tonight,"_ Batman said, and after a pause, added, _"I recognize the graffiti here."_

"You should be coming up upon Homeless Hall. Curious. One would assume that Deathstroke would want to _avoid_ passing through an area that's chock full of witnesses," Alfred said as another screen started blinking. He tapped a key and the screen switched to a security camera's perspective. The grainy feed showed an unconscious Scarecrow being approached by wary police officers.

"By the way, sir, the GCPD has acted on the anonymous tip I left. Scarecrow will soon be on his way to Arkham… again."

" _Maybe they'll keep him until sunrise this time."_

"Miracles do happen, sir."

* * *

 **Batman turned into a part of the sewers beneath Old Gotham that the GCPD had nicknamed** _ **Homeless Hall**_ **.**

Aptly named, the wide tunnel was crowded with makeshift houses of cardboard and threadbare sheets. Fires burned in steel drums. Homeless men and women of all ages shrank back as the Dark Knight cut through their cobbled village. He was silent and dark; a living shadow passing through them. At the end of the tunnel was a ladder that led back up to the cold streets of Gotham. The ladder was between the round entrances to two new tunnels. Batman checked his gauntlet and saw that Robin's signal was roughly two hundred feet beyond the tunnels, and that it was no longer moving.

An old woman was slumped against the left tunnel's entrance. As Batman drew closer, he realized she was dead. Her throat was crushed and her filmy eyes stared up at the sewer's round, dripping ceiling.

"The guy that killed her went that way. It was a motorcycle cop," offered a young voice.

Batman turned and found a boy with red hair and green eyes watching him. The kid, probably nine, sat on a cardboard pallet next to the curved sewer wall. Lying next to him was a ghastly pale woman with bruised, needle-pocked arms. Her vacant smile was for no one.

The red-haired boy got to his feet. Looking up at the Dark Knight, he said, "My name's Jason. The cop went left. He had Robin. At least, I think it was Robin. That dead lady thought it was him, too. Robin wears green and red, right?"

Batman nodded. "Jason, tell me everything that you saw."

Jason said, "Sure thing. A while ago this motorcycle cop came through. He had his helmet on, so I couldn't see his face. Right away I noticed he was holding somebody. When I realized it was Robin, I figured maybe the cop was helping him escape a bad guy or something. You know, like maybe Robin got punched out in a fight, and then this cop stepped in to help him escape a bad situation?"

"How was Robin injured?" Batman asked.

Jason shrugged. "He wasn't bleeding. I think he was just passed out. Trust me; I know what that looks like."

Batman glanced at the woman he assumed to be the boy's mother. "I believe you. What happened here?" Batman gestured to the old woman's slumped corpse.

"She was following after that cop," Jason said. "She kept hasslin' him. She was saying stuff like, _Hey! Where are you going with that boy? Put him down!_ The cop ignored her until she started saying other stuff, like _Hey! Is that Robin?_ As soon as she said Boy Wonder's name, that cop spun around and snatched her by the neck. I heard a loud crack and she finally shut up. He dropped her there on his way through that tunnel."

"It happened so fast I barely caught it," Jason admitted, still in awe. "That cop killed her and just went on with Robin like nothing even happened. It was crazy."

Batman checked his gauntlet again and saw that Robin's signal still hadn't moved. He regarded the green-eyed boy. "Thanks for your help, Jason. It's not safe here. You should go with your mother to a shelter."

"Yeah, right, and end up in foster care?"

Batman moved on. He was several feet up the left tunnel when the young voice called after him.

" _Bye, Batman! Good luck saving Robin!"_

* * *

 **The tunnel was long and full of curves and sharp turns. Twenty feet into it, Batman found Robin's utility belt lying in a coil on the ground. Batman snatched the belt up without slowing his stride.**

 _Deathstroke is leading me towards or away from Robin—or something else…_

The constant sound of dripping water and the squelching of his boots were distracting, but not enough to keep Batman's mind from entertaining dark thoughts. As he hurried through the sewers, Batman couldn't help but think of the Narrows. Of a boy wrapped up in death.

 _The boy's eyes were closed. The barbed wire around them had been bent back and shaped like diamonds to crudely resemble a very familiar mask._

Each time Batman rounded a new corner, he braced himself to find Robin's body curled against the sewer wall or strung up to a grate in some grisly display of death. Batman's grip tightened on the boy's utility belt as he came to another fork in the tunnels. Lying in the filthy water, right in the middle of the right tunnel's entrance, was Robin's communicator. Batman picked it up; suppressing his dread.

" _Sir?"_ Alfred asked. From the console, he could see that Batman's and Robin's signals were finally overlapping in the sewer.

"I found his utility belt and his communicator." Batman moved through the right tunnel. In the muck, he noticed something. "Alfred, there's more than one set of footprints leading into this tunnel. Both sets are too large to be Robin's."

" _Perhaps Hijack has rendezvoused with Deathstroke."_

Faced with that possibility, Batman paused long enough to take stock of his weapons. He was out of smoke pellets, so he transferred what was left of Robin's and anything else potentially useful into his own utility belt. He then hid the younger hero's belt and communicator behind some piping to retrieve later.

" _Your file on Wade LaFarge may have been slim, but I've managed to gather quite a bit about his alter-ego, Hijack. He's a prolific, well, hijacker. The FBI believes he's amassed a rather impressive fortune while working for terrorist groups over the last decade,"_ Alfred said. _"However, records indicate his activities have lessened more and more with each year to the point that some agencies assumed him dead or retired from mercenary work."_

"Something's brought him out of retirement. Have you determined how Hijack became a modified human?" Batman asked; following the footprints. He kept his voice down and listened for any indication of danger.

" _That remains to be found, sir. There's no mention of him possessing extraordinary abilities in any of the databases I've referenced thus far."_

Batman came to a ladder. The trail was leading him deeper into the sewers again, and west, towards the ruins of the Bowery's subway station.

" _Sir, there's something else you should know,"_ Alfred said. _"The Teen Titans have stumbled upon the Batcave. They are apprised, for the most part, of the situation at hand."_

" _You knew!?"_ squawked a shocked voice. Batman identified it as Beast Boy.

"What are they doing there, Alfred?" Batman asked.

Three anxious teenage voices started blabbering at once, and Batman absently touched his cowl above his ear; wishing he could remove the embedded ear piece. He sighed in irritation.

 _"One at a time! But first, all of you come down here,"_ Alfred ordered. _"Now,_ _Cyborg, explain yourselves quickly. This is no time for games."_

" _Just tell them everything,"_ Beast Boy urged, his voice clearer than before, and Batman could tell the Titans were standing at the console. _"Maybe it'll help Robin."_

" _Where is Robin anyway? Is it true that Slade has him?"_ Cyborg asked instead.

Batman crept along the sewer wall. "Yes. I'm in pursuit of them now. I can't afford to be distracted. If you have nothing to offer, then go back to your rooms. Alfred will update you as soon as possible."

" _What? Robin's in trouble, and you think we're not involved in this?"_ Cyborg said, _"Look, he might be **your** partner, but he's **our** leader. Our friend. I don't mean any disrespect, Batman, but there's no way that the Titans are going to just go sit around while Slade does who knows what to—"_

"He's not just my partner."

 _"Oh. Yeah... Sorry,"_ Cyborg said, sincere.

Batman picked his way around a gaping hole in the sewer floor. He knew the tunnels would only become more decrepit and dangerous as he drew closer to where they intersected with the Bowery's abandoned subway station.

"Do you know anything about Hijack?" Batman asked. He saw one of Robin's black winter gloves lying in the muck ahead. Batman swept up the glove as he stalked past it; his eyes were already on the other one, which had been left on the entrance to a maintenance shaft.

 _"Yeah. Here's the deal,"_ Cyborg began. _"That guy on your screen called Hijack? He attacked our Tower a couple of nights ago looking for Robin. Bumblebee saw you and Rob on the news and came out to Gotham yesterday to warn ya'll, but she couldn't find us since we don't have our communicators on. Robin only knew she was here cause those lawyers that ate here last night talked about seeing her in the city. They said she was hurt and looking for him, so Robin asked Raven to go find Bee tonight and make sure homegirl was all right. Rob didn't want Raven teleportin' across the country since we still don't know what her vision means so we had to bring Bee back here, but don't worry, she doesn't know where we are and she's unconscious. Raven just needed to heal her."_

As Cyborg spoke, Batman jumped and pulled himself up and through the square maintenance shaft. The brick walls scraped against his shoulders as he crawled through and emerged in a new tunnel. He zeroed in on the footprints and started following them again.

 _"Bee told us about Hijack,"_ Cyborg continued, _"and we were going to tell Robin as soon as ya'll got home tonight. Then Raven had another vision or something, and now she's passed out upstairs. We didn't mean to find the cave. We were actually looking for a way to sneak Bee out of here and somewhere safe before she wakes up. Robin came out of my closet earlier tonight, so we knew there had to be a secret passage. When I heard ya'll talking about him, I had to see what was up."_

Batman's mind picked over the most relevant parts of Cyborg's story. "So Hijack was stalking Robin back in Jump, and both Deathstroke and Hijack have followed him here."

 _"We can_ _help you catch Slade and that other guy,"_ Cyborg said.

"No. Stay with Alfred. See if you can assist him."

" _But—!"_ the microphone's feed was cut, and Batman hoped Alfred was talking some sense into the younger hero. The Titans showing up could be just what Deathstroke and his brother wanted; worse, it would only add more people to the situation for Batman to worry about.

* * *

 **In the Batcave, Alfred handed a syringe to Beast Boy.**

"Bring the young ladies down here so that we can monitor them. Beast Boy and Starfire, I'm placing you two in charge of their care. Inject this into Bumblebee's arm if she starts to awaken before we're ready to deal with her," Alfred said before sending the shapeshifter and Starfire upstairs to collect their friends.

Starfire cast the console a worried glance.

"Don't worry, Star. Batman will find him," Cyborg assured her. The alien girl nodded and flew after Beast Boy.

Alfred left the cave's lab and returned to his seat at the console. Cyborg followed him.

"I'm so sick of Slade's boogeyman routine," the Titan said. "This time his butt is definitely going to jail. He ain't gettin' away with it this time!"

Calmly, Alfred replied, "I can give you access to most of the city's surveillance system as well as police chatter. We need to help Batman reconstruct just how Robin was captured in the first place. Such knowledge may prove useful in understanding the situation at hand."

"I'll get right on it," Cyborg said, flexing his fingers and taking the seat next to Alfred's.

* * *

 **The abandoned subway station under the Bowery was darkly lit by old, flickering maintenance lights positioned along its walls. Only two train routes had ever been built before city officials had declared the subway system too costly to continue. The project had been shelved and the station left to rot. Giant piles of debris, never cleaned up from all that digging, were scattered around the station floor. A few iron waiting benches and a single ticket booth were the only structures still standing. Wide stairs on the left side of the facility had once led up to the city, but they'd been clogged with stone debris to keep the homeless out. The subway's train tunnels were accessible through Gotham's north sewer system. Slade kept these tunnels under his watchful eye.**

He'd left the unconscious boy curled up on an iron bench. Robin's hands and feet were bound with his own zip ties. A piece of medical tape was smoothed over the Titan's mouth. Without his utility belt, the boy looked like he was wearing an oversized sweater, and since Robin always wore his regular costume beneath the hoodie as an extra layer of warmth, his cape was no longer cinched by the belt to his waist. It was visible a few inches past the hem of his hoodie. But Slade didn't care how ridiculous the boy looked.

The hidden sensors Scarecrow's men had left scattered throughout the sewer system the previous night were chiming in; giving Slade a constant update on Hijack's and Batman's positions in relation to his own. It seemed Batman had fallen considerably behind his half-brother.

Robin moaned and Slade flipped the dark visor on his helmet back down. He considered using the probes to knock Robin out again, but decided against it. He watched as the Titan used his back and leg muscles to move himself into a sitting position on the bench.

Slade stood before his captive. The bound teenager glared up at him.

"Robin, I wondered if you would wake up in time for this. Relax. I'm not going to hurt you," Slade said. "Not until it's necessary, anyway."

Robin's hands were tied behind his back. He tried squeezing them free of the zip ties, but Slade seized him by the shoulder. The villain leaned close so that his black visor was inches from Robin's face.

"I said, _relax_ _._ Leaving my side right now would be an unwise decision. In case you haven't noticed, Robin, you're being hunted. The man who attacked you earlier tonight goes by the name _Hijack._ His real name is Wade LaFarge. He's an assassin, and he's also my half-brother."

The boy's masked eyes widened. His words were muffled by the medical tape. _"He's your brother!?"_

" _Half_ -brother," Slade corrected; releasing Robin's shoulder. "He was waiting at the Bat-Signal to kill you, so I had Scarecrow stage the attacks in Park Row to draw Batman and you away from him. Unfortunately, Hijack still managed to find you first. _That_ little meeting wasn't a part of my plans. You're a very lucky boy, Robin. I don't know why he didn't execute you on the spot like he did the others, but I do know this—you're not out of the woods yet, boy. There must be a reason why Hijack didn't immediately put a bullet through your head. I can only assume that he has something ...special . _.._ planned for you."

Robin's brow creased with worry, and Slade could tell the Titan was trying to make sense of all the new information he'd just been fed.

There was a soft noise in one of the partially collapsed tunnels. Slade checked his temporary communicator.

"He's almost here. I was hoping not to fight him directly, but if it comes to it..." Slade looked down at the confused boy. "Whatever happens next, Robin, it's important that you don't fight back. Trust me. Do as I say and you might survive."

Robin's eyes widened again. His outrage was muffled. _"You're using me as bait!? Wait! Slade!"_

* * *

 **He scowled after the villain, but Slade slipped off into the shadows without another word.**

 _Leave it to Slade to try and ruin Christmas,_ Robin thought bitterly. Then the sound of boots splashing across the floor echoed up one of the partially collapsed tunnels. Robin snapped his attention towards the noise and saw the shape of a very tall, very muscular man climbing over the debris that clogged the tunnel's exit.

 _He's too tall to be Batman._ _It must be Hijack, but why does he want to kill me?_

Robin curled up his legs as close to his body as possible and rolled forward off of the bench. As he fell, he looped his arms around his feet so that his hands, though still bound, were at least now in front of him. He landed on the cold cement floor with a grunt. Right away he reached to rip the medical tape from his mouth, but a large hand snatched him by the wrists and hauled him into the air.

 _He's so fast,_ Robin thought, disoriented.

"What is this supposed to be? A peace offering?" Hijack laughed and swung Robin around by the wrists. He released the boy mid-swing, and Robin's shriek was muffled as he flew through the air and crashed into the ground. He rolled a few feet across the debris strewn floor and ended up on his back.

Head spinning, Robin groaned and sat up, only to slump over again as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him. _I really, really hate you, Slade._

Hijack ran a hand through his messy brown hair as if summoning patience, and addressed the shadows. "Where are you at, Slade? What kind of game are you playing? You think I won't kill this kid just because you gift-wrapped him for me? You think you've got control here!?"

He stalked over to where Robin was just making it up to his hands and knees. The boy saw Hijack approaching and tried to scramble away, but Hijack grabbed Robin by the front of his hoodie and started dragging him towards the center of the subway platform. With his feet tied together, Robin kept falling down. He held onto Hijack's arm and tried to pull himself up to keep his knees from smacking into the ground.

"I bet I can make you come out! I know you've got some little scheme cooked up. Just like I know you care about this kid! You sure didn't come running out to Jump to save that other one! Hell, you didn't even try to save poor old Alex from me! And he was your main weapons guy for what, twenty-eight years!?"

Hijack dumped Robin on the ground. "Nah, you left them for dead to save _this_ one! But you're too late, Slade! Handing him over now won't save either of you! I'll just have some fun until you decide to man up and show yourself!"

Still disoriented, Robin realized Hijack wasn't wearing a mask and that the villain had dark blue eyes. _Oh yeah... Batman said he got the mask... Batman..._

Hijack's hands were on him again, and Robin was flipped over onto his stomach. Hijack trapped his legs under an armored knee. Robin tried to push himself back up, but the man's weight was crushing him. Hijack grabbed the thick fabric of his hoodie at the waist and yanked the garment up and over Robin's shoulders and head; making it even harder for the boy to move and impossible for Robin to see what was happening. Hijack then used one hand to pin Robin's zip tied wrists above his head.

 _"Let go! Get off of me!"_ Robin yelled, his voice muffled by the medical tape and the suffocating darkness of his hoodie. His heart raced in his chest. He could barely move, but he struggled anyway.

 _Slade's using me to distract this guy while he gets away!_ Robin figured, ignoring the panic building in his lungs. The thick fabric of his hoodie made it hard to breathe. _Maybe Hijack will make a mistake... then I can..._

"Christ, kid, how many layers are you wearing?" Hijack said, brushing Robin's cape aside so that he could see the back of Robin's regular uniform. Hijack ripped the material apart, leaving a huge tear across the Titan's shoulders.

Robin recognized the sound of a knife being drawn. _Is he going to stab me to death!?_

The cold tip of the knife pressed against his left shoulder blade. Robin tried to twist out of Hijack's grip, but the man flattened him even harder to the ground.

"Don't move!" Hijack warned.

Then the knife swept down, cutting a long, straight gash into Robin's back. The young hero gave a muffled cry; his body tried to jerk away from the pain.

"I said don't move!" Hijack snapped. "If you twitch like that, you'll mess it up! Do that again and I'll shove this knife straight through the back of your throat!"

 _Batman's coming! I just need to stay alive. Don't fight him!_

Robin swallowed, feeling sick as the knife touched his back again. It was positioned in the same starting place, but this time, Hijack drew the blade more slowly through Robin's flesh and down a slightly different path. Robin cringed at the burning pain, but did his best to keep still.

"That's a good boy. Now, I'm going to take my time and tell you a story, and maybe our friend Slade will decide to join us before the end. Sound good to you? Great." Hijack dragged the knife up and then down as he spoke.

 _ **M** , _Robin's brain supplied. _He carved the letter **M** into me. _

The young hero thought of all the times he'd seen bodies with words and symbols carved into them. With Batman, he'd seen such victims countless times.

 _I'm going to be one of those people,_ he thought with horror, but Robin quickly suppressed his fear. _He's going to come. He'll find this place._

As he cut the next letter, Hijack said, "I never liked touching dead bodies. That's why I've always used guns or my sword. I shot the others you know, but after the first few I decided it'd be fun to leave Slade a final head count to look forward to. I thought it'd be funny to watch him try and figure out who I was going after; to see him try to save a few. So, after I shot my nephew, I carved the word **_NINE_** into his arm. I wish I could've seen Slade's face when he saw that."

 _His nephew... does that mean..._

Hijack laughed. "Let me tell you something, boy, after I did that, it was all I could think about. The way the knife cut through his soft skin. The way his blood came up to the surface, as if it could do anything to stop what I'd done. For the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to have power over life and death."

Robin listened, horrified, and squeezed his eyes shut as Hijack started carving the next letter into his skin. _He's probably going to kill me as soon as he's finished. If I can just get some space between us…_

Even though the subway station was cold, Robin's face felt hot. He panted against the tape sealing his mouth. The hoodie felt like a heavy blanket wrapped around his head, and his back hurt so much.

"How you holding up, Champ?" Hijack asked. The body trapped beneath him was trembling in pain. Hijack's teeth bared into a sadistic grin. "Only two more letters to go. But where was I? Oh yes. The power over life _and_ death. You see, Joey was already dead when I cut him, but I wanted to cut something living. I wanted to see if it felt even better. I tried it on my mom. I looked her straight in the eyes and carved the word _**NINE**_ across her arm, too. She was so weak she couldn't fight back. It still gave me a rush to see that look in her eye—that moment when the little lights went dead cause _she knew_ no one was coming. The almighty _Slade_ wasn't going to save her; just like he isn't going to save you. He's not even going to try because he _knows_ what happened the last time he tried to stop me!"

"Don't you, Slade?" Hijack asked the shadows. He laughed when there was no answer. Robin hated the sound of his laugh.

"Cutting Mom felt good, but I think I like this best," Hijack said as he started to carve the last letter into Robin's back. "You can't do anything to stop me, can you? I think you're my favorite one so far. Good old Number Nine. You're like having a tiny bird trapped in my hands. I can do whatever I want. I can _crush_ you however I want. Do you know what that kind of power feels like?"

It was an _**E**_ , Robin decided. He felt nauseated. He'd known after the first two letters what Hijack intended to carve into him, but now that it was finished, it was real. Hijack hadn't carved the number of his victims into Robin. No—he'd carved something new—the word _**MINE.**_

"All nine are mine," Hijack said, laughing again. Robin heard him put the knife away, and suddenly his hands were free, but before the Titan could react, Hijack planted his boot firmly in the center of Robin's back and flattened the boy against the ground. The pressure was excruciating. Then Robin heard a gun click and all of the hairs on his body tingled. He struggled to roll out from under Hijack's foot, but there was no escaping from the villain's weight. The man started digging the tip of his boot into Robin's back and laughed at the boy's muffled cries of pain.

 _Don't fight him! He'll back off if you're still!_ Robin reminded himself. With a shuddering breath, he became as still as possible. The pressure on his back eased significantly.

In desperation, Robin closed his eyes and thought, _Raven! Raven, are you there!? I need your help! Can you hear me?—Can you find me!?_

He sighed. _Why did I think that would work?_

"There's a good boy. Don't move. If you move, the bullet from this gun will hit your skull hard enough to split it open like a watermelon. It'll make a big, splattery mess."

Louder, Hijack said, "I know you're still here, Slade! You might as well come out. But when you do, make sure you take off that helmet. I really want to see your face. Take off your helmet when you get the balls to show yourself, and I'll make this quick for him. I'll shoot him right in the head. It's a lot nicer than what I am gonna do if you _don't_ get out here _._ I'll find other places to shoot him. You can put a whole lot of bullets into a person, cause them _a whole lot of pain_ , you know, before they _finally_ _die_."

Robin listened and heard only the sound of his ragged breathing for several seconds, then, in a jovial voice, he heard Hijack say, "Oh! No helmet this time? Guess I put too many holes in that fancy armor of yours. You had to trash it, huh? I knew you wouldn't run off and ditch this kid. I'm so glad you stayed. I wanted you to be here for at least one of them."

"If I were you," Slade said, calm and malevolent, "I'd forget the boy and start running."

Hijack laughed. "As if you're in any condition to keep up."

"I think you're in for a surprise."

"What makes you think this time's gonna end any differently?" Hijack taunted. Then Robin heard the familiar sound of smoke pellets striking the ground all around him. The pressure left his back as something collided with Hijack.

"Surprise," Slade said.

Robin heard Hijack cursing and the sounds of a brutal fight. A hand snatched him by the hoodie, and he was hefted over a shoulder. Moments later Robin hit the ground again with a muffled grunt. The zip ties on his hands were cut and Slade pulled his hoodie off, dropping it aside.

The villain turned his attention back to the battle. Both Batman and Hijack were shrouded in thick smoke, but Slade could hear them trading violent blows.

Robin's face was hot and red. He ripped the medical tape from his mouth and took in several gulps of air. He realized they were hiding behind a pile of debris. Robin peeked over it and saw flashes of his mentor fighting Hijack in the smoke.

"I knew he'd come," the boy said, his voice a little hoarse from pain and fatigue.

"He took much longer to get here than I originally anticipated," Slade admitted, "but fortunately, I still didn't have to engage Hijack. He was content to play with you, Robin."

Slade attached a small scope to one of his weapons. It was some kind of gun. He noticed the boy was gawking at him. "Really, Robin, didn't your mother teach you that it's impolite to stare?"

"I know you," Robin said. "I've seen you before. You were on the plane. And other places. You've been following me since Pinnacle City!"

"No, Robin. I followed you _to_ Pinnacle," Slade told him. "And I followed you here. I don't suppose you've figured out why yet?"

Robin's masked eyes narrowed. Using a sharp piece of debris, he started working at getting the zip ties off his feet. "It looks like you dragged me down here as bait because you wanted them to fight."

The boy's tone softened. "Is it true what he said? ...Did he kill your son and your mom?" Robin hesitated. "Who else has he killed?"

There was an explosion of brick as Hijack and Batman crashed through a wall. Gasping, Robin snapped free of the zip ties and climbed over the debris that was shielding him and Slade from the fight. He saw that Hijack was pummeling Batman into the floor. Robin raced towards them. He knew he was no match for the assassin, but he could at least distract him long enough for Batman to recover.

The probes activated.

"No!" Robin growled at the pain. He ran anyway. His body glowed orange and red. His muscles felt so tight and burned so hot he thought they'd burst from his skin. The probes made his stomach feel like it was full of knives. With a strangled cry, the Titan lost his balance mid-run and crashed to the ground. Groaning, he looked ahead and saw Batman finally roll out from under Hijack's assault. The Dark Knight landed a swift kick to the man's shoulder; shattering its protective armor.

 _Yes!_ Robin thought as rough hands grabbed him up from the ground.

"You're going to get us all killed," Slade said, dragging the boy back to cover.

"Let me go! I have to help him!" The pain wracking Robin's body increased, but he didn't care. "Why don't you just shoot your brother with these stupid things!?"

"What a novel idea. Are you sure that's what you want me to do?"

Despite his best efforts, Robin was wilting under the pain. His body had been put through so much that night. He wasn't sure how much more it could take. He clutched his aching middle and sank to his knees in Slade's grip. The villain released him.

Through clenched teeth, Robin said, "If you use the probes on Hijack, it might be enough to level the playing field so Batman can beat him."

The probes switched off. Robin panted in relief.

"We really do think alike, you know," Slade told him, pulling the weapon with the small scope back out. "I was already planning to infect him. You see, dear boy, I didn't bring them down here to watch them fight..."

Hijack caught Batman by the neck and lifted him high into the air. His fingers dug into the hero's cowl.

"No!" Robin darted forward again, but this time Slade caught him by the cape and slung the hero backwards.

"Stay out of the way, boy," Slade snapped. "And don't block my aim."

Slade fired. A bright red light shot from his weapon and hit the exposed flesh of Hijack's shoulder. The man didn't react to the blast.

"Now for the part you're not going to like," Slade said, glancing back at the boy.

"Hurry up," Robin said, struggling to his hands and knees again. "He's going to kill Batman."

Slade activated the nanoscopic probes and Robin and Hijack both recoiled in agony. The Dark Knight was dropped.

The sound of Hijack's shrieking was enough to make Slade close his eye and relish the moment.

He could have listened to those screams all night.

"Slade! I know it's you! You'll regret this!" Hijack swore, pushing past his pain to take another swing at Batman.

The Dark Knight avoided the punch easily and scanned the room.

Deathstroke took Robin and ducked behind a stone column. He knew Batman had seen the direction of the shot. Slade looked down at the boy suffering in his arms. Robin's eyes were closed and his teeth were clenched. His hands were wrapped around his stomach. His whole body was shaking.

"You think this will stop me!?" Hijack bellowed. "After I kill this freak, I'm finishing what I started, Slade! You may have saved your little apprentice this time, but it means nothing!"

Batman landed a kick to Hijack's jaw. The villain careened into a wall.

Hijack pulled himself out of it. Blood ran down his chin. "I've won, Brother. I've taken them, and you can't get them back—not this time! They're mine forever! And you know what?" Hijack ducked as Batman threw a vicious punch. "You better hide that kid somewhere real dark and deep! To tell the truth, you might as well put him six feet under yourself, because once I've blown his brains out, I'm settling things between us—once and for all!"

Batman tackled him with a growl and the two rolled across the cement floor. Although Hijack was slowed by the fierce pain washing over his body, his strength was still too much. He pinned Batman to the ground and pulled back a fist; prepared to smash it straight through the vigilante's skull. He loomed over Batman like a giant, glowing monster.

He paused to regard the struggling hero. Hijack grinned down at Batman. "Or maybe I'll keep him around for a few years. Kick some sense into him. He can be my own little apprentice. I'll teach him everything I know. _It'll be fun_. Or hell! He's _Robin_ for god's sake! I could just auction the little creep off to the highest bidder when I'm tired of him. I'll make a fortune!"

"It's never going to happen," Batman growled; fighting with everything he had to get out from under the villain's massive weight.

Hijack laughed. "Nah, I'm just kidding. Next time I see that brat, I'm putting one between his eyes. Enough with these games, right?"

"Can't you just end this? Can't you just knock Hijack out—like you did me?" Robin asked, looking up at Slade. He knew he was seconds from passing out again. "Please. Don't let Batman die. He's... He's my..."

Slade understood the fear he heard in the young hero's voice. It was the terror of knowing a loved one was in mortal danger. It was the rawest fear imaginable.

"Relax, Robin. This time, the Dark Knight _will_ win," Slade said, turning the dial on his trigger all the way to maximum. "I promise."

* * *

 **Hijack threw his head back and screamed. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed in a heap.**

Batman staggered over to the fallen assassin. He'd recognized the orange glow that had consumed Hijack's body. Deathstroke had shot Hijack with the nanoscopic probes, and in the midst of battle, he'd seen Robin glow, too.

 _That's how Deathstroke captured him,_ Batman thought to himself as he checked to make sure that Hijack was truly unconscious.

" _Sir! Are you all right?"_ Alfred asked.

"I'm fine. Hijack is down. Deathstroke still has Robin. Both Robin and Hijack have been infected with Deathstroke's nanoscopic probes." Batman found Robin's hoodie and picked it up, frowning at how much blood had soaked into the soft material.

"When I got here, Hijack had Robin on the ground," Batman told Alfred. "His back was covered in blood. Deathstroke and Hijack appeared to be facing off. It's clear now that they aren't working together. In fact, I think in his own twisted way, Deathstroke may have been trying to save Robin from his brother. I don't see any sign of them now. He could have taken Robin anywhere."

 _"I've dispatched the Batwing,"_ Alfred replied. _"I think it's best if you return home. You are in no state to confront Deathstroke."_

"I have to find him, Alfred."

" _You're heavily injured. You have no idea where Deathstroke has gone. And what if Hijack reawakens? It would be wise to bring him here where we can secure him and extract information to find out just what is going on here."_

Cyborg added, _"If Raven wakes up she can use her soul-self to help find Robin. I think Alfred's right, Batman. Uh, sir. I think Robin would agree, too. Hijack's too dangerous. He needs put away pronto. I kinda doubt that the police can handle a juggernaut like him."_

 _"I would like to try MY handle at him,"_ said an angry Starfire.

 _"The Batwing should be there within minutes, sir."_

Batman curled his fist around the hoodie and held it to his chest. "Fine, but not before I determine which way Deathstroke went with Robin."

" _You really should listen to your friends, Dark Knight,"_ said a familiar voice.

Batman whirled around. "Where are you hiding, Deathstroke?"

" _Someplace even you don't know about,"_ Slade said. _"But don't worry. Robin's here with me. We're both safe from Hijack; especially now that you've captured him. I hope you intend to put him somewhere very secure. I trust you have the technology and the means to accomplish such a basic task."_

Batman followed the voice until he found a handheld transceiver resting atop an iron bench. Its tiny screen displayed an image of Slade Wilson, sans helmet, and still wearing a GCPD uniform just like the red-haired boy had described.

"You planned for me to capture Hijack. Why?"

" _Let's just say I'm not quite up to the task of dealing with my dear half-brother myself. Not yet... but I promise to take him off your hands soon enough."_

Batman said, "I want to speak to the boy."

Slade wore the ghost of a smirk. _"Sorry. Robin's taking a nap. He's had a long night."_

"Then let me see him so that I know he's alive," the vigilante half-growled.

 _"Of course. Since you're doing me such a big favor."_ Slade pointed his transceiver towards the ground, and the screen blurred a moment before revealing Robin—unconscious—lying curled on his side on a concrete floor. His cape was pushed aside, and Batman could see a large tear across the shoulder blades of his uniform. Batman couldn't see the wound; it was covered by bandages and medical tape.

"What did you do to him, Deathstroke? Is this another one of your sick tests?"

 _"I wasn't testing him. I was testing you. His so-called guardian. And you, Dark Knight, have failed."_

The image switched back to Slade. His tone was layered with condescension as he said, _"If it had been Hijack and not me following you around the city the other night, Robin would be dead. Or worse."_

"You turned on the Haunted House," Batman realized. "You set the fire."

" _And tonight I have saved him from your incompetence once again,"_ Slade said. _"But enough chitchat. Robin and I have important details to discuss, and you have a homicidal maniac to secure in your Batcave. Once you've accomplished this task to my satisfaction, I'll contact you again. Who knows, I may even allow you to speak to the boy."_

The transceiver crackled with electricity and blew apart in Batman's palm. Batman crushed its remains in a fist before tossing them aside. "Did you get all of that, Alfred?"

" _Yes sir. We all did."_

"Perform a level six diagnostic on the cave and our other assets," Batman said, stalking back towards Hijack's body.

" _Right away, sir… and, about Robin…"_

"He was unconscious and injured, but fine. It doesn't appear that Deathstroke intends on doing him any permanent damage so long as we cooperate. For now, having Hijack off the streets and in our custody is an easy price to pay if that's what it takes to keep Deathstroke talking to us and Robin alive."

Batman hefted Hijack over his shoulder and headed for the closest exit to street level.

 _If he was going to kill him, he wouldn't have taken care of Robin's injuries,_ Batman assured himself. He suppressed the fear and worry that threatened to override his calm exterior.

 _Robin will be all right. He knows I'm coming, and he'll look for ways to get himself out of Deathstroke's web._

With faith not only in himself and in Robin, but in the others who waited at the Batcave, the Dark Knight was able to leave Gotham's underground, even though it also meant leaving his ward behind in the unpredictable hands of Deathstroke the Terminator.

* * *

 **1)** **Guest:** Barbara hasn't become Batgirl yet in this timeline, but Richard Grayson knows her as an acquaintance.

 **2) LightTamer:** Sure! So long as you don't want anything Adult.

 **3)** **Thank you for the favs/follows/reviews.**


	9. Lesson

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Rated T for violence and language.

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Nine:** Lesson

* * *

The Batwing soared through a blood red sky; slicing through winter clouds as it raced away from Gotham City. Hijack was slumped in the rear passenger seat. In front of him, Batman steered with a stoic expression.

"Don't worry, Alfred. I gave Hijack the same sedative that was developed for Bane. He should be unconscious long enough for us to secure him in the Batcave."

" _A cell is ready and waiting, sir,"_ Alfred replied through the Batwing's communicator. _"The Teen Titans are eager to search for Robin; Starfire is particularly insistent. Luckily, I have convinced our young friends to await your arrival."_

Cyborg said, _"I've been using the links ya'll have to like every security camera in Gotham to figure out how things went down. Looks like Slade got Robin not long after you guys split up on the northern island. There's no sign of them anywhere now, but I doubt he'll get too far with Robin as dead weight."_

Batman frowned at the younger hero's choice of words. Turning the Batwing in a wide arc away from the city, he replied, "Deathstroke still has a score to settle with his brother. For now at least, it's very unlikely he'll attempt to leave the city."

 _"Still working on identifying Hijack's previous victims, sir,"_ Alfred said. _"The most likely candidates, of course, are Slade Wilson's estranged family as well as his few close associates. Unfortunately, the Wilson family seems to have been living 'off the grid' for quite some time. If they've met some untimely fate at the hands of Hijack, it's possible we may never know."_

" _I gotta admit,"_ Cyborg said, _"I never pinned Slade of all people as a family man. Even stranger is seeing what he looks like up underneath that creepy helmet of his. I know this picture ya'll got of him is way old, but still, it's weird to see there's actually something human under there. I was wondering though ...Does Robin know all this stuff about Slade?"_

Batman spoke as he dove the Batwing through a large, cliff-side waterfall and into a complex network of tunnels; tracing a familiar path towards the Batcave. "Up until the incident with Trigon the Terrible, Robin wanted to figure out Deathstroke's— _Slade's_ —identity without my or Alfred's help, but something changed after your team defeated Trigon. When Robin came home for Christmas last year, he finally used the cave's console and searched our files. His reaction was similar to yours."

 _"So he_ _knew who Slade was for a whole year!? But h_ _e didn't say a word to us!_ ... _Man, **please** don't tell me he's been hunting Slade on his own again."_

"I doubt it."

" _But Robin's…"_ Cyborg hesitated. _"He's—well when it comes to Slade anyway, Robin's kind of—"_

"Obsessed," Batman supplied. "We know."

Alfred said, _"Our files on Deathstroke only provide a brief history: Wilson's time in the military, his emergence as a modified human, his long career as an assassin, and his apparent estrangement from his wife and two sons. As you've seen, details are scarce, and the photograph we do have of him was taken long before he lost his right eye. And yet, I do believe this information has helped Robin come to see the threat of Slade Wilson as less—ethereal—for lack of a better term."_

"His primary concern was the likelihood of Slade assassinating one of you," Batman told Cyborg. "Deathstroke the Terminator is one of the deadliest assassins in the world, but he has yet to accept contracts on women or children."

Cyborg scoffed. _"Can't wait to turn eighteen now."_

There was a lull in conversation before Alfred said, _"Still no record of how Wade LaFarge—Hijack—became a modified human."_

"Keep searching. There's definitely something about him," Batman said. "During the times we fought tonight, there were moments where we seemed evenly matched; others, Hijack was remarkably strong—and fast."

" _Hopefully not Kryptonian strong, sir."_

"Not remotely, but still, his strength and speed can be overwhelming," Batman admitted. "But whatever modification Hijack's undergone, I don't think it's stable. His strength and agility seemed to ramp up and down throughout the fight. We'll know more once we've had a look at his blood chemistry."

* * *

 **Moments later, the Batwing burst through a waterfall on the cave's south wall. It glided to a smooth landing on a large, flat outcropping of stone. Batman leapt out and found Starfire had zipped from the infirmary to meet him.**

She regarded Hijack.

"So, this is the _Vand'lor_ who attacked Robin," the girl said spitefully. "I will assist you in caging him."

Effortlessly, the Tamaranean took Hijack by the arm and carried him over to one of six cells that were embedded in the cave's east wall. The cells were positioned in such a way that anyone they contained would only be able to see an empty cave wall through the observation window. The cells were sound proof as well; although each contained its own communication system. The interior of the cells resembled a small lab.

Starfire hefted Hijack onto a steel table inside one of the cells. Right away, thick promethean-laced titanium bands locked over Hijack's arms, legs, neck, and midsection. Seeing he was secured, Starfire floated backwards out of the cell. The moment she passed its threshold, a door whooshed shut; however, Hijack was still visible through the large observation window.

"Don't worry," Batman said from behind her, having caught up, "the window is made of impervious metallic glass. It won't hold Superman, but it's definitely stronger than what Hijack demonstrated out there."

The alien girl turned, and Batman noted the mixture of anger and worry she wore.

"Now that you are here and Hijack has been contained, we can all go search for Robin, yes?"

"Soon," Batman assured her, "but first we need to gather what information we can."

He gestured towards the cell. Starfire looked and saw that an automated system was already coming to life. The monitors in the cell began providing data about Hijack's body. A green beam of light scanned him; and a mechanical arm emerged from the ceiling. It was long enough to take a sample of the villain's blood.

Suddenly, the scanner's green beam of light switched to red. An alarm sounded within the cell.

" _Sir,"_ Alfred said, using the communicator on Batman's gauntlet rather than yelling from higher in the cave, _"the sensors in cell three are detecting a recording device embedded in Hijack's armor."_

From the console, Alfred turned off the alarm. Starfire, who had covered her ears, sighed in relief.

" _It's in his chest plate,"_ Cyborg said, and Batman knew they were looking at an analysis of Hijack's armor on the main console's screen. _"I don't get it. What's the dude need a camera for?"_

" _Let's find out, shall we?"_ The communicator picked up the staccato noise of Alfred typing. _"Sir, the camera in Hijack's armor appears to be linked to a storage device somewhere in Riker Heights. I'm initiating a hacking program to retrieve the video files and disable the link. We should know shortly just what our new friend has been recording."_

"Be careful," Batman said; stopping just short of telling Alfred to preview the files before allowing the Titans to see them… just in case something especially grisly lurked in Hijack's footage. He glanced at Starfire and began walking up a metal catwalk towards the infirmary.

She floated after him. "Alfred said you were injured, and you yourself said Robin was bleeding."

Batman said, "I'll be fine, and Robin's injuries didn't seem life-threatening."

* * *

 **In the infirmary, Batman saw Raven and another Titan lying unconscious on parallel beds. Beast Boy sat on a stool next to Raven. His eyes lit up at the sight of the Dark Knight.**

"That was so cool! You came flyin' out of the waterfall like _whooosh!_ And then the Batwing landed like _grraaaang!"_ Beast Boy realized he was gushing. He gave Batman a sheepish look and asked, "So, uh, sir, any sign of Robin yet?"

"No." Batman tilted his head towards the two unconscious girls. "Anything to report?"

Beast Boy cast them a somber look. "Bumblebee hasn't even moved an inch. I think Raven put her in a coma or something... and Raven, she's been making these really strange faces... almost like she's in pain. Do you think Slade or his brother did something to her?"

Beast Boy gave Raven a worried frown.

"Slade has used sorcery in the past," Starfire told Batman. "Perhaps he has done something to Raven so that she is unable to assist our efforts."

"Perhaps," Batman agreed. "Both of you come with me. The monitors will let us know if there's any change here."

* * *

 **As they joined Alfred and Cyborg at the cave's main console, Beast Boy flashed Alfred a nervous grin.**

"So Alfred, how long did you know we were up there anyway?" Beast Boy asked as he sidled up next to the butler.

"Yeah… sorry about infiltrating the Batcave and all," Cyborg said; his fingers working a keyboard. "It kinda happened on accident."

Batman was standing at another part of the console, and the Titans swore they heard the older hero scoff under his breath.

"I'm well aware of how it happened," Alfred replied. "I tracked your movements from the moment _Starfire_ blasted a hole into the wall of Master Victor's closet."

"I apologize most sincerely!" the alien girl cried from behind Alfred's chair.

Beast Boy said, "That was totally on accident, too! We were just trying to find the secret passage Robin used."

"You couldn't find it," Alfred said, somewhat absently as his eyes scanned information on one of the console's many screens, "because it only opens from _one direction_."

Cyborg scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, man. After we get Rob back, we'll fix it up all shiny and new. Promise."

"I trust that you will, but more importantly, is there anything else that you need to tell us?" Alfred asked; pausing in his work to meet the Titans' eyes. The intensity in his gaze surprised them.

"What do you mean, sir?" Beast Boy asked.

"Communication is key to survival." There was a hint of sternness in the butler's voice. "If you want to help find Robin, you must not keep secrets or play games with information anymore tonight. Is that clear?"

Cyborg nodded. "No more secrets. When Raven wakes up, you'll know everything we know. I can't help but think that whatever's happened to her is connected to Robin."

Alfred returned to the console; to the video files that were uploading from Riker Heights. "Yes… they do share quite the curious bond."

* * *

 **In a place that seemed far away, Raven's feet punched the snow-covered rooftops as she chased Scarecrow high above the streets of Gotham. Ahead, the villain glanced back over his shoulder. She was gaining on him. Raven grinned.**

 _If I catch him on my own, Batman will see that I can handle a villain of this caliber. I can handle Gotham. I've almost got him!_

But the air was ripped violently from her lungs. Gasping with wide eyes, Raven hit the roof hard and rolled several feet as scalding pain flooded her muscles. She lay on the ground screaming. Agony laced through her body. It was inescapable and all-consuming. Then the pain vanished. Raven curled in on herself and panted in relief. The cold night air made the tears on her cheeks sting. She brushed them away. It took her a few moments to struggle up to her knees. She looked up.

The Scarecrow was advancing fast—a terrible delight glowing in his pale, malevolent eyes. He was going to strike. Gasping again, Raven threw up her arms in defense. But to her shock her body suddenly lost all corporality. She dropped through the rooftop shrieking in fear and confusion. At first she phased through the floors of a building, but then a darkness swept over everything, and Raven found herself plummeting through a never ending expanse of nothingness.

 **Abruptly, she landed in a crouch on the edge of a stone parapet.**

Raven realized she was on another rooftop. Above her head, the stars were obscured by Gotham's smog. A summer breeze buffeted her cape. Voices drew her attention, and there, on the other side of the roof, she saw Batman and the Joker facing off. The Joker had a handgun aimed right at Batman's face and was talking on and on as usual.

But this time was different.

Raven frowned. _He's too close. Batman might not be able to dodge if that's actually a real gun and not some stupid joke._

Raven put away her grapple gun and took out a flash disc, but as she was about to throw it, the Joker spun around and locked eyes with her. His lipsticked grin widened. Time seemed to slow down as he fired, but it sped right back up with frightening speed as the bullet punched through Raven's right shoulder. She cried out and toppled backwards off the roof. It happened so fast. She was falling again. The Joker's maniacal laughter followed her down.

Batman's cry was a roar of rage and fear she would never forget.

" _Robin!"_

 **Raven landed—this time—on a concrete floor.**

She rolled over; moaning. Her injuries were too many to count. Her arms and legs and ribs… everything hurt. Blood was running down the side of her face and chin. She was breathing in short, painful gasps.

 _I can't get my arms untied! He's going to kill me! I was so stupid. I should've known he wouldn't play fair. Now he's going to kill us both!_

The villain snatched Raven by her hair and pulled the young hero up to her knees. She faced him; grimacing at the pain.

"Before it's all over," Two-Face said as his free hand accepted a baseball bat from one of his thugs, "I wanted you to know. It wasn't me that killed you. It was the Bat."

Her hair was released. The baseball bat came down—again and again—each strike fueled by hatred. Raven couldn't understand or escape it. Her masked eyes sought out Batman. He was gone from where Two-Face had trapped him.

Amidst all the fear and pain overwhelming her, she smiled in half-crazed relief that at least one of them would escape. Batman would be okay. Alfred wouldn't be alone. The mission would continue.

The beating stopped. She lay in a pool of her own blood; unable to move. The blood's warmth was oddly comforting.

"One good shot to the skull should finish it," said Two-Face.

The thugs around him cheered.

Over the ringing in her ears, Raven heard them and was glad. Death would bring an end to this nightmare. The pain would stop. She braced herself for the killing blow. It never came.

Instead, Raven felt gloved, hesitate fingers touching her back.

" _Robin…?"_

She was lifted. Being picked up hurt more than being beaten. There was no time to be gentle. Batman ran with her in his arms. His voice was far away.

" _I'm here, partner. I'm here."_

* * *

 **In the Batcave's infirmary, Raven awoke with a sudden intake of air. The monitor to her left beeped in warning. Pushing herself up from the padded table, Raven realized instantly where she was. Concentrating, she sought out the energies of her friends and teleported straight to them.**

Raven found herself not only standing amongst the Titans, but Alfred and Batman. They were in front of the Batcave's main console. The young sorceress gave the giant computer and its multiple screens a wary once-over.

"I can tell I missed something."

Beast Boy crushed her into a hug. "Raven! I'm so glad you're okay! What happened!?"

Embarrassed and scowling, Raven squirmed free of him. She straightened her cloak and regarded the group with a serious expression. "I got smacked by my own premonition. I knew something dangerous was coming to Gotham. I just didn't realize that _Robin_ was the one being hunted. I've never had a bond like this with anyone before… I... I didn't know this could happen."

"What?" Cyborg asked.

"After Bumblebee warned us about the man who attacked Speedy, I tried using the bond I have with Robin to check in on him," Raven grimaced at the memory, "but all I could feel was pain—like my body was on fire. I realized Robin was in danger of passing out, so I tried to use our bond to absorb as much of his pain as possible to keep him conscious. Unfortunately... there were side effects I didn't count on."

Raven averted her eyes. "I ended up with some of Robin's worst memories getting all tangled up with my own. For a while there... I didn't realize it had even happened. I thought I was Robin, and that all those terrible things were happening to me."

Absently, she placed a palm over her right shoulder, in the exact place where the Joker had shot Robin over a year ago. It was a movement neither Alfred nor Batman missed.

Raven looked up at the others. "I'm sorry it took me so long to find myself again. I can see that a lot has happened."

"Long story short," Beast Boy said, "the stalker guy is Slade's crazy half-brother, Hijack. He tried killing Robin, but Batman stopped him."

"Hijack's locked up here now," Cyborg added. "Unfortunately, Slade used his nanoscopic probes to overwhelm and catch Robin."

Starfire said, "Oh Raven, you must find Robin again immediately. He is out there with Slade, and alone, and—!"

"I'll do my best," Raven assured. Taking a deep breath, she began levitating. The old, familiar words slipped off her tongue. Raven closed her eyes. The image of her friends and Alfred, and a guarded Batman, watching her with hopeful expressions followed her deep into trance. She knew she was their best bet to quickly find Robin, and she used that knowledge to steel her nerves against the fear lurking at the fringes of her mind.

She'd never admit it, but a part of the young sorceress was afraid.

What if she became lost again—sucked once more into those terrible memories? But Raven refused to give into such fears. She concentrated—sending her mind in powerful waves towards the city. She searched for Robin's familiar energy—bright and red—just like his aura.

Long minutes passed before Raven opened her eyes again.

The others were still watching her.

She sighed. "I'm sorry. ...I can't sense either of them. But that doesn't mean they've left the city. Slade has always used an Elydian Charm to repel my powers."

"An elliptical what?" Cyborg exchanged a shrugging glance with Beast Boy.

"An _Elydian Charm_. It's an ancient talisman used by demon hunters to keep them from detection. Slade must wear one or something like it. It's why I can never sense him," Raven explained.

"And you believe he might be forcing Robin to wear one or something similar, too" Batman said.

Raven nodded. "It's possible. Unless..."

"Slade has made it clear that he intends to confront his half-brother again. I think it's reasonable to assume that Robin is safe for now," Batman assured.

A small screen in front of Alfred began to flash. Glancing at it, Alfred said, "The video files have been extracted."

He tapped several commands. "Terminating the link now. There. Hijack's camera has been disabled, sir."

After a pause, Alfred added, "There appear to be eight video files in total. Their titles are quite interesting. Sir, some of the files are named after Slade Wilson's family members and known associates."

On the main console, Alfred displayed a video track listing. The Titans, along with Batman, scanned each title:

 _Grant._

 _Wintergreen._

 _Adeline and Rose._

 _Joseph._

 _"Mom" and Slade._

 _Alex._

 _Blondie._

 _Robin._

"It may be safe to assume we've found Hijack's previous victims, sir," Alfred said grimly.

"See what you can learn from the files," Batman replied before turning to the Titans. "I'm going to search for Robin."

"We're coming with you," Cyborg said. "BB and the girls can cover a lot of ground in the air, and I wanna search that subway station where Robin got nabbed."

Reluctantly, Batman agreed. It had been years since he'd interacted with the likes of Deathstoke, and only once in person. The Titans, though children, had more experience in dealing with him. Of course, there was also the fact that they were exceptionally powerful children, and they had proven themselves on countless occasions capable of holding their own. As much as Batman wanted to keep their presence in Gotham at minimum, the rational part of him knew that it was in his ward's best interest to work with the younger heroes.

He shared a look with Alfred, and the butler immediately moved to retrieve communicators. The Titans' own wouldn't do; not in Gotham.

"Raven and Beast Boy, I want you to stay together. Avoid being seen if you can," Batman said; pulling up a map of Gotham on the main console. He zoomed in on the Bowery. "Start your search here. Report anything you find to Alfred. If you see Slade or Robin, let us know immediately. Do not engage unless it's a life or death situation."

Batman met the two Titans' eyes. "Any questions?"

Beast Boy saluted. "No sir!"

Raven said, "First I'm going to take Bumblebee back to Jump. It's probably been a long time since she's communicated with Titan's East, and I'm assuming you don't want them coming to Gotham in search of her."

Batman agreed as Alfred handed out communicators. Once Raven and Beast Boy had theirs, the young sorceress transformed into a shadow-form. She enveloped Beast Boy in blackness before sweeping down to the infirmary; picking up Bumblebee and vanishing through a dark portal.

Once they were gone, Batman turned to the remaining Titans.

"You two are with me."

They followed his brisk walk down a series of catwalks and platforms to where two motorcycles were parked. Batman climbed onto the larger, black and gray bike. He glanced at Cyborg and motioned at the other one, which was a dark red and similar to Robin's R-cycle in Jump.

Batman said, "We're going back to the subway station beneath the Bowery to try and pick up a trail."

To Starfire he said, "If you can't keep up in the air, then jump on for a ride."

Starfire said, "I can keep up. You will see that I am most fast."

"I've already seen," Batman said as his motorcycle revved to life. He raced from the Batcave, the wall opening just in time to let him through. Cyborg barreled after him; Starfire flying behind high in the night sky. In the distance, the endless lights of Gotham City awaited them.

* * *

 **Far from the Batcave, Robin was curled on his side and lying on a steel table; his face half-buried in his arms. His watery eyes made the world sloshy and bright, but Robin took comfort in the familiar edges of his mask still pressed against his skin. His body felt heavy; as if covered by a thick layer of blankets.**

 _Where am I?_ His mind began to clear. The steel table suddenly struck him as cold and uncomfortable. The Titan tried to push himself up into a sitting position, but to his shock, he could barely move. He tried again. His body strained with the effort, but no matter how hard Robin tried, he couldn't move. He was trapped. His breathing quickened.

 _What's wrong with me? Where am I?_

His masked eyes widened as he remembered the chaos of the collapsed subway station.

 _Batman! Did it work? Was Hijack knocked out? Did Slade..._ Robin quelled his panic. _No. There's no way Batman would let Slade kill him. Even if he was hurt._

Robin scowled at himself for having even entertained the idea.

 _I have to get moving and find Batman. That's all that matters._

Robin clenched his teeth and concentrated, but he couldn't seem to make his body move the way he wanted it to. Frustrated, he squeezed his eyes shut. He envisioned his limbs moving; himself sliding right off the steel table. It was no use. He opened his eyes again and found his eyesight not quite as blurry as before.

 _Cinderblock walls..._ His nose wrinkled. _And bleach? ...Not great signs, Robin. C'mon, I need to move!_

He poured all his energy into moving his left leg, all of his willpower, and for his efforts, the Titan was at last able to shift his left foot a few inches.

 **A large, gloved hand folded around his shoulder.**

Robin gasped; unable to catch himself.

"Relax," Slade said, and from his voice, Robin could tell the man was standing right behind him.

 _Has he been there the whole time!?_

The young hero scowled again.

"I know it must make you uneasy, Robin, to be left so utterly defenseless, but trust me, you're safe. And… as promised, your so-called _guardian_ survived his rendezvous with Hijack. Right now he's busy securing my overpowered half-brother in that subterranean lair of his. Do as I say… and I promise that you'll see the Dark Knight again soon."

Robin scowled and tried to shrug the hand off his shoulder, but the attempt was pathetic. It only served to remind him of the word carved across his shoulder blades. The Titan's brow furrowed. Before, the wounds had felt hot and prickly, but now the pain was dulled.

In fact, numbness seemed to saturate his muscles.

"I've given you a sedative," Slade said. "There's a lesson I must teach you before tomorrow night, but there's no point if you're not strong enough to learn it. Are you listening to me, boy? I need you to _rest_. Your body has been stressed too much by my nanoscopic probes."

"But don't worry," Slade added without sympathy, "there shouldn't be any permanent damage."

"Lucky me," Robin said in a voice so tired and slurred he wondered if Slade had even understood him. A wave of sleepiness washed over him, and he felt his thoughts slipping a moment, but Robin forced his eyes open.

 _Can't let myself fall asleep again._

Somewhere, a metal door wrenched open. The sound echoed and Robin tensed; lifting his head a little so that he could use both ears to listen. A small thrill of victory ran through him at the successful movement, but Slade's other hand pressed against his face, and with firm but gentle pressure, pushed Robin's head back down.

"It appears our host is coming to check on us," Slade said in a low voice. "I suppose since you're awake, you might as well take this opportunity to learn more about your situation. Pretend to be asleep. No matter what is said, it's important that you make him think you're unconscious. Otherwise, he'll take even longer to leave."

Robin mulled over the pros and cons of cooperating with his apparent kidnapper. The hand on his shoulder tightened.

"If you disobey, I'll make sure you regret it."

With an irritated huff, Robin gave a small nod and Slade released him.

Another metal door groaned open, and Robin counted five sets of footsteps filing into the room. .

There was a self-important scoff.

" _This_ is what you've stowed away in my bunker? You cannot be serious."

 _Penguin's helping him, too?_ Robin could feel the villain's breath against his forehead as Penguin leaned over; probably examining him with that snobby monocle of his.

"Well _I_ don't care what game you're playing with the Bat. I won't be your scapegoat, Deathstroke. You know full well," Penguin said, "that if he finds that ragamuffin here, that if he even _thinks_ I'm involved, he'll tear the _Lounge_ apart. It'll cost me a fortune—and that's assuming there'd be a single salvageable scrap left to repair! I'm afraid I must insist you take this little bird elsewhere and that you do it swiftly. Be sure that you dispose of his body far from here. The last thing I need right now is to be back on that blasted Bat's radar!"

 _The Iceberg Lounge is in the Bowery_ , Robin's sluggish mind reminded him.

"I'm not killing him," Slade replied. "I've chosen Robin to be my apprentice. I admit, he's not too fond of the idea, but he'll learn soon enough to accept it. Luckily for him, the boy's always been a quick study."

"Apprentice? How old-fashioned. It appears more likely to me that you are simply picking a fight with the Bat." Penguin's tone gave away his interested smile. "Does this mean, by chance, that you'll be remedying Gotham of its flying rodent problem?"

"If necessary," Slade said, and Robin caught himself from scowling. "But that's my own business. Have you contacted the others?"

"They'll all be present. Well, except our dear colleague, Scarecrow. The unlucky professor has been apprehended by Gotham's Finest. I've received word from a source that the police took him to their headquarters for interrogation. They'll be transporting him to Arkham at approximately eleven PM."

"I suppose I need a new uniform anyway," Slade said, a smirk in his voice. "I'll set Crane loose again."

Robin suppressed a worried frown not just for the GCPD, but for himself and the rest of Gotham.

 _This isn't just about Slade's half-brother... Why does he still need Scarecrow? ...Who else is he meeting with? ...I've got to figure out what he's planning. I can't afford to be even one step behind him—not this time._

"I suppose you won't be handing over those weapons you've promised me until after all of this business is wrapped up then, hm?" Penguin said with sour note.

"I'm giving you more than a few mere weapons for your cooperation," Slade reminded. "The location and passwords to my armories—all of them—spread throughout the world is a prize worth waiting for, don't you think, Oswald? Some of my stockpiles include weapons you'll never find on this planet. Do a few simple tasks, allow my apprentice and I to stay a few short nights, and you can have it all."

"So you've said, but why such generosity?" Penguin asked. "Why give away all your weapons for such little compensation? Forgive my persistent paranoia, but it all seems a little too good to be true. What are you _really_ planning, Deathstroke?"

"My plans are my own business, as is my fate and the fate of my apprentice. You and your syndicate will not be affected. …Do we still have a deal or not?"

"Yes, but if Batman _does_ show up," Penguin sniped, "I expect _you_ to deal with him."

There was something like a smile in Slade's voice.

"You have my word," he promised.

Robin listened as Penguin barked orders at his men. He heard their heavy footsteps leave, and then he was alone again with Slade.

* * *

 **1)** **Guest:** Yes, that was Jason Todd. Glad you noticed!

 **2)** Penguin is from _Batman: TAS._

 **3)** Two-Face's lines and Batman's words to Robin afterwards are lifted straight from _Robin: Year One._ As mentioned in chapter 1's notes, for the purposes of this fic, Robin would have still been 13 when Two-Face tried beating him to death, but only 15 when the Joker shot him/Batman fired him and Robin relocated to Jump.


	10. Destiny

**Disclaimer: Not mine**. **Rated T for language and violence.**

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Ten:** Destiny

* * *

Raven and Beast Boy reappeared atop Wayne Tower. The shape-shifter hugged his shivering arms despite the winter uniform he wore. The city, half-white with snow, stretched out like a sea of lights as far as his gaze could see. Sirens and flashing lights echoed up skyscraper walls. Somewhere far away, a store alarm was ringing.

"Too bad we didn't have time to sign Speedy's cast," Beast Boy offered as a half-hearted joke. Gazing out across the city, he wondered just how long it would take for them to locate Robin. "So, which way was the Bowling Alley again?"

" _The Bowery,_ " Raven corrected. "Follow me."

Beast Boy transformed into a falcon and Raven led him through and around the city's Gothic architecture. They flew so high that the cars looked like little toys, but the pair still managed to sweep between arches and over high, spindly towers. Eventually, Raven touched down on a flat, unremarkable roof. Beast Boy transformed as he landed beside her. At first, he was confused as to why she'd chosen to stop there, but then he saw Robin's bo-straff, covered in a thin sheen of frost, lying near the rooftop's edge.

"I saw him chasing Scarecrow," Raven said as they approached it; their shoes crunching in the snow. "I could have helped him... but there was a chance Batman would have seen me. I didn't want to cause another problem after the spaghetti-pocalypse... But that was stupid of me. I should have helped him catch Scarecrow."

Beast Boy stooped down to retrieve the bo-staff. He held it in both hands as he stood back up and met Raven's eyes. "It's not your fault, Rae. You were just sticking to the plan. I know Robin wouldn't blame you either."

Beast Boy collapsed the weapon and tucked it into his gray utility belt. Raven's eyes widened, and he turned to see what had surprised her. High in the dark clouds, a brilliant column of light was displaying the Bat-Signal. Throughout the city, the sounds of sirens and alarms became an increasingly more frequent, haunting echo.

* * *

 **Several blocks away and beneath the cold streets, Batman, Cyborg, and Starfire reached the abandoned subway station. The collapsed tunnels and large piles of debris, combined with the eerie, flickering lights, made even the large space seem claustrophobic.**

"So this is where you last saw Robin," Cyborg said; continuing to scan for anything that might give them a clue as to which way Slade had taken their friend. Right away, his sensors detected Robin's blood. They led him to a red smear and Cyborg felt his stomach sink. There was no point in calling attention to it; Batman had already told them Robin was injured, and Cyborg definitely didn't want to rub Starfire's face in the fact. He left the stain in the shadows; the searchlight attached to his shoulder tracing the station walls until he found Batman and Starfire on the far side of the room investigating one of the collapsed tunnels. He joined them and instantly picked up more, smaller instances of Robin's DNA on the scrap and debris piled high in the tunnel's entrance.

Batman was checking a map on his gauntlet's screen. "This tunnel leads towards the bay. You can tell that someone's recently disturbed the debris here... at least, enough to slip through the top."

"And drag Robin after him," Cyborg agreed. "No way I'm fitting through there though."

"Stand back." Starfire's eyes and hands glowed; casting their eerie green light on the debris. Once Cyborg and Batman had obliged, she blasted through the piles of stone, trash, and wood until the tunnel entrance was clear. Dank air wafted into the subway station, causing the teenagers to cover their noses.

"Ugh! What is that!?" Cyborg gasped.

"Sewage." Batman passed between the two gagging Titans and into the tunnel.

Soon their boots were squelching as they slipped out of the unfinished subway station and back down into Gotham's underbelly. The only light in the disgusting darkness was from the searchlight built into Cyborg's shoulder; however, Starfire had always been able to see well in the dark and Batman didn't seem to have any trouble either.

 _Guess his cowl gives him bat-vision or something_ , Cyborg figured. Along with a hovering Starfire, he followed the older hero deeper into a circular tunnel that was caked in filth and smelled worse than rotting fish. Only a thin current of icky water ran through the tunnel and everyone was mindful not to step in it.

They came to a fork. Cyborg could see the faint imprints of large boots heading left. Batman must have seen them, too, because the hero did not hesitate in leading the Titans that direction.

Alfred's voice came over Batman's communicator. _"Sir, reports are circulating of a man wearing orange and black armor attacking at random. He's shot multiple victims throughout the city with a weapon that is being described to police and the media as a 'red laser'. I'm tracking him via our link to the city's various surveillance systems. It's definitely Deathstroke. Unfortunately, he's somehow managing to be in four different areas of the city simultaneously. I've already dispatched Raven and Beast Boy to intercept him at the Market District. ...I've sent you the last known locations where 'Deathstroke' has been sighted. As you can see, he's left quite a large area to cover."_

"Deathstroke must be trying to draw us away from Robin," Batman replied to his gauntlet.

"Diversion is definitely his M.O.," Cyborg agreed. "He must have brought some of his Sladebots with him. We can't just let those things run around Gotham shooting even _more_ people up with his nanoscopic probes."

"Alfred, have there been any reports of people suffering attacks from the probes?" Batman asked.

 _"None as yet, sir. Do you think perhaps that these attacks are merely his way of bluffing?"_

"Let's hope that's the case," Batman said, "but Cyborg's right. The robots have to be stopped and any potential victims need to be helped to the hospital. You two join the other Titans. I'll keep searching for Robin."

 _"There's an access point to the surface ten kilometers north of your current location, Cyborg,"_ Alfred told him. _"And sir, more bad news, I'm afraid. Apparently the Joker and Harley Quinn have become quite active. They've robbed several toy stores in succession. Bizarrely enough, they're reportedly dressed as Saint Nicholas and an elf... GCPD is attempting to apprehend them as we speak."_

Batman suppressed an irritated sigh. "Gordon will have to handle it for now."

"Man, Batman," Cyborg said, "don't you have like a whole, you know, _League_ of friends that could help out? Superman's even right next door, right?"

The Dark Knight wasn't facing the Titans, so they didn't see his dark, however brief, scowl. "Most of the League is in another sector of the galaxy dealing with... a crisis. Although Superman wasn't a part of that mission, he's been off the radar."

 _"I have attempted several times to contact Superman to warn him about the Scaredust that was transported across the bay,"_ Alfred added. _"There's been no response."_

"He must have gone to help with whatever's going on out in space," Cyborg said, sharing a wary look with Starfire. "It's not anything we little Earthlings should be worried about, is it?"

"There are multiple crises occurring at any given moment on a global and intergalactic scale. The League is spread thin at the moment. For now at least, we're on our own," Batman said as he turned to continue up the tunnel. "Be safe out there. If you can, capture the robots without damaging them or the weapons they're using to spread the nanoscopic probes. They might be useful in helping us stop Deathstroke."

"Don't worry, Batman," Cyborg said as the distance grew between them, "we won't let you down. Let us know right away when you find Robin, okay?"

Starfire echoed, "Yes! Please, do not hesitate to call us! Or should you need assistance!"

* * *

 **Robin had been a hero for half of his life, but nothing in his experience prepared him for the pain he now felt.**

It erupted in his head, split through his bones, and seemed to twist in vicious knots of agony around his stomach muscles, pulling them tight and sending him into breathless pain. The floor smacked his face. With no strength left, he could only twitch against the concrete floor. His lungs fought desperately for air. He wanted to black out and escape the searing torture.

Stinging pinpricks of pain stabbed across his skin, between his fingers and toes,

Robin panted, lying on his back. His heart raced a moment. Robin covered it with a hand.

 _Almost there. I can make it. I just have to be stronger than this._

He'd woken up on a steel table in a small medical room. The wound across his shoulder blades had been cleaned and re-bandaged, as evidenced by the bloody bandages he'd spotted in a nearby waste container. His tights and the tattered remains of the top half of his uniform were his only defense against the bitter cold permeating the room. Apparently Slade had taken his shoes, cape, and gloves. Fortunately, the mask was still sealed to his face.

Although Robin was pretty sure Slade knew his identity anyway. A sobering thought for sure. But he had a different problem in that moment. He'd woken up alone in the room. Other than the bed and some built-in cabinets and a sink, the room was empty. There was an old metal door leading to who-knew-where, and it was his singular goal to make it the ten or so feet from the steel bed to that door. Unfortunately, Robin had learned quickly that the probes were triggered to go off the instance his weight left the steel table (which, of course, was bolted to the floor and wall in ways that would require a hydraulic cutter to reverse).

He would just have to fight through the pain. Surely Batman and the others were looking for him. The first step was to get out of the room. The Titan sluggishly rolled over onto his stomach. His glowing arms shook as he pushed himself up from the ground and got back to his hands and knees. Robin tried to crawl forward, but his arms felt like they were made of gelatin. His right palm slipped and he landed on his face—smacking into the concrete floor with a frustrated growl.

Slade's boot nudged against his ribs.

 _When did he get here!?_ Robin cast a wary, angry glare up at the man, who was still clad as a GCPD officer. _Stupid Slade and his stupid games!_

"A pity. And you were so close this time. A mere foot and you would have made it," Slade taunted. "You're welcome to try again. In fact, you can try all night, or however long it takes for the lesson to sink in."

"You know… It's not my fault… your brother…"

"Focus, Robin. Or surrender."

"You wish." Robin started half-crawling, half-slithering across the floor towards the door. He wasn't sure how he was going to get it open. It didn't matter. He was going to get there and then he'd figure it out. But the threads of fire slicing through his body kept intensifying. The word carved across his shoulder blades burned so that he felt each line of every letter. _M.I.N.E._ Robin's spine arched as the probes inflicted twice the pain before. He saw white flashes. It became impossible to breathe.

Slade opened the door as if daring Robin to go for it.

The Titan didn't hesitate. He shoved himself forward a final time and collapsed. Flat against the concrete, Robin turned his face so that he could see the hallway. He reached for it desperately; stretching his arm. The door's threshold was just beyond his fingertips.

 _So close! I'm so close!_

But the blinding, flashing lights overwhelmed his vision, the pain was too much, and Robin's arm dropped. He found he couldn't move. His skull felt ready to explode, right along with his heart and lungs.

Slade disengaged the probes, grabbed the hero by a foot, and dragged Robin to the other side of the room.

* * *

 **The Titan awoke seconds later with his face against the concrete floor. He groaned.**

"Well, Robin. Are you ready to try again? Third time's the charm they say, but since that didn't work out so well for you, maybe this time will? How about a fourth attempt?" Slade leaned against a wall with his arms crossed and waited to see what the young hero would do.

Robin realized he was back at the opposite end of the room where the bed was bolted to the floor and wall. He sat up on his knees; his body was shaking from the aftershocks of pain. He couldn't make the trembling stop.

"What's the point?" The Titan ran a shaky hand through his dark hair. Bitterness laced his voice. "If I get close you're just going to knock me out again."

"That's exactly the point," Slade said. "You can't win. You can't escape. And if you insist on trying, you will continue to suffer and have only yourself to blame. But you should remember, Robin, that you and my half-brother are not the only ones infected. At least a dozen other civilians, poor innocent people of Gotham, were also hit by my laser tonight."

Robin's masked eyes widened as he looked up at Slade. "You're not saying that—"

" _Yes,_ Robin. Every time you make me activate the probes, you make them suffer the same fate that you bring on yourself. Only… I'm not so sure they're handling it as well you are," Slade said with mock concern. "Some of them might have weak hearts… old hearts… medical conditions. One woman even looked pregnant. Do you really think an unborn child could survive such torment?"

In a burst of anger, Robin was on his feet. He growled and swung a fist, Slade caught it easily, and before Robin could see how, the probes were activated again. The hero gave a strangled cry and his knees buckled.

Slade caught him. He held Robin by the arms, just below the shoulders so that the boy was kept standing as the probes burned him from head to toe.

"How many of them have already died?" Slade wondered. "Imagine their loved ones; unable to do anything—to even comprehend what's happening. Only you have the power to end their torture. They're out there right now, screaming for someone to make it stop. Can you recall their faces? The people you saved from the bus."

"You don't have to hurt them!" Robin tried to twist and kick, but his muscles were exhausted. "Stop this!"

"Not until you accept that you cannot escape," Slade said, tightening his grip on Robin's arms, "that my probes will always overwhelm you, and that you can only hurt yourself and others by trying. When you try to escape— _you_ cause them to suffer. You choose for them to die writhing in pain. And you, Robin, choose when their pain stops."

"Then stop!" The boy's glowing, masked eyes beseeched him. "Stop hurting them!"

"Get your breathing under control," Slade admonished. "It's important to breathe deeply when you're being tortured. It gives your mind something to focus on and releases endorphins. …And …if you stop resisting, my updated probes will deactivate automatically. Do you understand? It is completely within your power to shut them off, but this can only be accomplished _if_ you're absolutely still. The only way you can stop it on your own... is to surrender."

A few tears escaped the corners of Robin's mask and ran towards his ears. He ducked his head.

But Slade had seen. "Robin… there's no need to be ashamed. I've tested these probes extensively over the past year on subjects your age and size as well as grown men. Their mental and physical barriers collapsed long before this point; well, the ones who were still alive. None of them survived the worst these probes can do for longer than a few mere seconds… I wonder if you could?"

"Even if I can," Robin said, taking a shuddering breath as he struggled to get himself under control, "the other people infected—"

"The people I experimented on were physically fit comparable to you in varying degrees," Slade said. "Your unlucky co-sufferers, however, assuming some of them are still alive, would surely perish if the probes were set to maximum for longer than ten seconds."

"Stop hurting them," Robin ground out again. _Slade said I can make it stop, but I can't. I can't get my breathing under control. I can't help them. I can't even move. I'm totally useless._

It both angered and frightened him to know that only Slade's hands were keeping him on his feet.

Slade fell quiet, and Robin was left alone with the probes eating him up inside.

They seemed to chew on his muscles. They crawled like fire ants.

He was sure it would never end.

And then he realized they were gone.

It was just the echo of their pain that the hero still felt reverberating up and down his body.

Robin released a shuddering breath of relief. Frowning, he wondered, _Did I get them to turn off… or did Slade do it?_

"Should I turn them on again?" Slade asked; his grip on the boy's arms tightening as he felt Robin's body give into fatigue. "Are you going to make innocent people suffer for the sake of your own stubbornness?"

"I won't try to escape," Robin promised with an upturned glare, "but that doesn't mean this is over. My team and Batman will figure out how to stop you just like last time. You won't win even with these new probes."

"But I will," Slade assured, using his grip on the boy's arms to push Robin up against the wall. He leaned close. "One way or another, Robin, you will do as I say. You will accept your place as my apprentice. There is no more time to stall. It's happening, and it is happening _now_."

"That was over a long time ago," Robin said; grimacing as the wounds on his back were mashed against the cinderblock wall. "You lost."

"It was never over. It was always coming _another day_. I admit that the day has come much sooner than planned, thanks to my dear half-brother, but here we are. We might as well make the best of it." Slade released him.

Robin braced himself against the wall and slid down until he was seated against it. He brushed an unsteady hand across his face.

"Not that I want to put anyone else on your radar or encourage the whole idea," Robin said; exhausted, "but there have to be plenty of other people out there who would actually _want_ to be your apprentice. And I don't mean confused people like Terra. There are people with your worldview out there already, so why can't you just pick one of _them_?"

"Wanting it and sharing my worldview are hardly standards worth considering," the man replied. "Accept it. I've chosen you. It's not something you have a say in. However, I will promise you this, if you're a good boy, I will leave the others out of it. No one else has to know who the Batman is, where he lives, the names of his closest loved ones. Can you even begin to imagine what could become of that butler you seem so fond of? Or perhaps better yet, how do you think dear, old _Alfred_ would handle being infected with my nanoscopic probes?"

"Don't you dare threaten my family," Robin growled. His fists curled, but there was no energy left in him. He was stuck against the wall and they both knew it. Angry, he snapped, "How long have you known our identities, anyway? After you sent me to Wayne Enterprises, I figured you might know."

"I've known for a long time," Slade told him. "It's information worth capitalizing on someday, don't you think? Or perhaps not. I'll leave that up to you, too, Robin."

Irritated, the boy said, "I just don't see why you're doing this when you know it's not going to work out. You know that Batman and my team will never stop looking for me—especially now that they know you're behind this."

Slade had a guarded look in his eye. "If it helps, think of it as destiny."

"I don't believe in destiny."

"Believe in this—As my apprentice, you, your future and your choices… your very life—all belong to me, but don't worry," Slade's voice lost its hard edge, "you are a responsibility that I have never taken lightly."

Robin was conscious again of the word carved into his back. "Sounds like you just want someone that you can boss around and control. You don't want an apprentice, Slade; what you really want is a slave."

The villain scoffed as he checked his blood-streaked wristwatch. The badge on his stolen uniform read _O'Connell._ Robin wondered if Slade had really killed the officer… and then the Titan wondered how... and if O'Connell had a family.

" _Slave?_ Really, Robin. I'd have to give you a frontal lobotomy, and then what fun would you be?" Slade flipped open a device Robin didn't recognize and regarded a screen as he spoke. "Besides, I hardly need slaves or henchmen at my beck and call when I have an army of robots. Although, I suppose since Chang is still on ice I'll have to either thaw him out or find another person to manufacture them _if_ I want to rebuild that army. As it stands, I still have more than enough drones to accomplish my present goals."

Slade put away the device. An armored Sladebot entered the room from the hallway and leaned against the wall by the door. It looked exactly like Slade and even somehow emoted his detached smugness. Robin gave it a brief scowl before returning his attention to the real Slade.

"Speaking of," Slade said, "should Penguin or his thugs try anything incredibly stupid, I have posted several of these nearby—just in case he chooses to ignore the promise I made to him should any harm come to my apprentice."

Robin said, "You say that like I'm supposed to be grateful. I've had to learn to live with the fact that we have some things in common, but I was raised to be a hero. It's who I am, and nothing you do will ever change that. This can only end with you being disappointed, Slade."

"Not if my expectations are realistic," Slade countered. "And my demands are so few. Trust, loyalty, and _absolute_ obedience."

"You can't command those things," Robin said; his head lolling against the wall as he looked away from the villain. Muttering, he added, "And how can you seriously expect anyone to ever trust _you_?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Not outright," Robin admitted; looking back to the villain, "but you've deceived me. There's no way I could ever trust someone as manipulative and cruel as you."

Slade ignored the barbs and offered a few of his own. "Deception. Manipulation. Cruelty. I believe your little friends felt like applying some semblance of those qualities to you after you _deceived_ and _manipulated_ them into thinking you weren't Red X."

Remembering how he'd betrayed their trust, along with the hurt in their eyes when they realized what he'd done, made Robin's head dip almost imperceptibly in shame. Almost. "That was a mistake."

"No. It was a _strategy_ ," Slade corrected. "But we can discuss your track record when it comes to underestimating advanced opponents later. I believe we were discussing, at present, why you just can't bring yourself to trust me."

"You've kidnapped me and used my friends to control me. You've _hurt_ my friends," Robin started listing. "You tried to—"

"—Really, Robin," Slade interjected, sensing a long tirade of accusations that he really didn't care to hear, "you have to admit it's hardly fair to hold me to a standard you even haven't held yourself to. You've demonstrated your capacity for deceit and manipulation, and yet even your former friends, idiotic as they can be, found the maturity to understand your motives and trust you again."

"Maybe. But they'll never forget," Robin said, more to himself than Slade. "And I can never take it back."

"I have faith in your capacity to understand my motives," Slade continued, "though it may take some time, considering your stubborn nature."

Robin drew in an exasperated breath. "You think we're so much alike? Fine. Then imagine if our positions were reversed. How would you react to someone trying to hijack _your_ life, Slade?"

The villain's eye narrowed at the boy's choice of words. "Believe me, dear child, I have considered it for quite some time. It's the reason why, for the most part, despite your constant insolence and ingratitude, I'm able to maintain my patience. Otherwise, I would have strangled you by now and left you to rot at the foot of your precious Tower."

Robin tensed, and Slade added, "Relax. I'm on your side."

"It doesn't matter if you think you have my best interests at heart. This is never going to work," Robin insisted. "I'm _Robin_. I'm a hero. A Titan. It's who I am."

"You may always be _Robin_ , my dear apprentice, and… you may even sometimes be heroic, but you will never be _their_ Robin again. That life is over." Slade's hand cut through the air. "It's finished, and the more you struggle to hold on to the ghost of it, the more you and those who are tied to you will suffer _._ I will infect as many as it takes to help you understand. Submission is your only option if you want to save the innocent people infected, your friends, and… of course, the ones you hold most dear."

He reached down and grabbed Robin under the arm, fingers tightening in a bruising grip as he lifted the boy. Standing, Robin met his eyes bitterly. The steel bed pressed against the small of his back. Slade leaned close.

"So… do we have a deal?"

* * *

 **1) Rajun:** Yes, calling her "blondie" keeps the Titans and especially Beast Boy from demanding to see the video file.

 **2) Guest:** My inner map of Gotham is a mix of pretty much every Gotham map ever. I drew it out on an index card in an attempt to be consistent though. =3 The way I imagine Gotham is the way it appears in _Batman: The Animated Series._

 **4) XaoOfTheMist:** You're right! I just meant that the _BTAS_ version of Dr. Leslie is the one I'm imagining in this story (not that she originated in _BTAS_ ). For example, I cited Scarecrow from the _Arkham_ games as the particular incarnation of the character that I'm envisioning.


	11. Containment

**Disclaimer:** Property of DC.

 **Rating:** This chapter is rated T for language and violence that includes torture.

 **Reviews:** Thank you everyone who reviews, favs, and/or follows. I'm at a busy point in my life, and the reviews help me feel less guilty about spending time doing work that doesn't pay bills. That said, I have really enjoyed writing the story thus far and will continue if there is obvious interest. Thank you **FireShifter** for private messaging me about updating the story; it had kind of slipped off my radar, lol.

* * *

 **Gotham Holiday**

 **Chapter Eleven:** Containment

* * *

"I already told you," Robin grimaced as Slade's fingers dug painfully into his arm, "I won't do anything that gives you the excuse to hurt innocent people."

Slade pulled him closer. His eye scrutinized the Titan for several tense moments before Slade released him; watching Robin catch himself against the steel table.

"You won't be able to keep that promise," Slade said, "but I know that you'll try your very best."

Exhausted, Robin pulled himself onto the table and sat with both legs hanging off the edge. Fatigue and pain plagued his body, but he knew that Batman would remain as stoic and alert as possible.

He needed information. Robin's masked eyes sought out Slade. The villain had backed off and was distracted by a handheld device. For the first time in what had turned out to be a very long night, Robin finally had a chance to study his enemy. Batman and Alfred had shown him a picture of Slade Wilson, but the man in that digitized photo had been much younger, blonde, and sporting a military crewcut. Slade's hair was longer and white now, and less tame than before. His goatee and eyepatch made him look somewhat like a pirate, or, perhaps because of the stolen police uniform, a world-weary GCPD officer.

Of course, the eyepatch piqued Robin's interest the most. He wondered how Slade lost the eye, and when, and what it looked like. Was it scarred over? Milky and gross? Perhaps there was nothing there but a gaping black hole...

Batman had told Robin that Slade was a modified human. Robin knew now that the man had regenerative abilities, but if that were so, then why was Slade's eye apparently permanently damaged?

It must have been a serious wound, the Titan figured.

Slade glanced up, and Robin's attention narrowed into a glare before the young hero made a point of dismissing Slade and scanning the rest of the room. It was some sort of medical station and only about half the size of his bedroom in Titan Tower. Aside from the steel table, there were built-in cabinets, a metal sink, and a waste receptacle that looked like it'd been ripped right out of a chemistry lab. Stacks of rolled up gauze and medical tape were piled on a steel counter beneath the cabinets. The faint smell of bleach lingered in the air.

Robin thought about the first time he'd woken up in the small, sterile room. His memory of Penguin's visit was somewhat fuzzy. Something about a meeting, and the Scarecrow, and the ominous mention of _others_... and the strong notion that he was in a bunker underneath _The Iceberg Lounge._ Unfortunately, Robin had no way of knowing how much time had elapsed between Penguin's house call and the present. It was possible that the meeting with Scarecrow had already occurred. In fact, any number of things could have happened. Robin's frown deepened, but he stopped himself from dwelling on worst case scenarios. Still, his need to touch base with Batman or Alfred grew palpable in his chest.

 _Slade. Penguin. Scarecrow. Hijack._ Robin's brow furrowed. _Slade used Batman to contain Hijack. He used Scarecrow to lure me away from Batman, and now he's using Penguin for shelter. Maybe he's recruiting people to help him get revenge against his half-brother. ...Does that mean Slade's going to attack the Batcave?_ _If that's the case, then he's just using me to distract Batman and the Titans... assuming Bruce has even told them Slade's in town._

It was a theory, but Robin knew it wasn't safe to assume anything about Slade's motives and plans. He needed more information. He cleared his throat, and when he spoke, Robin tried to keep the pain reverberating through his body and the heavy fatigue he felt from straining his voice:

"Slade, the other people on Hijack's list—is it true he's already killed them?"

Slade kept his eye on the handheld device, but Robin caught the man's fingers tightening the tiniest bit around its plastic casing. In the silence that followed it occurred to Robin that Slade might choose to ignore him. After all, it wasn't like he could force Slade to share information, and it definitely wouldn't benefit his captor to give the Titan any such insight.

"His victims were either family members or people he assumed to be important to me," Slade replied in a detached tone. His attention remained on the device's screen. "They were each shot in the head. Other than my stepmother and my oldest son, none of them saw their deaths coming or felt a great deal of pain."

There was a pause, and Slade added, "You know, Robin... you were becoming quite acquainted with my oldest son. His name was Grant, but you knew him as the latest incarnation of _Red X."_

Robin blinked. Surely he'd misheard. He quickly retraced everything Slade had just told him. Barely audible, he asked, "What?"

"I found him on a rooftop in Dakota City," Slade continued. "I never bothered to find out why he'd stolen the _Red X_ identity from you. ...Who knows ...maybe the little fool was trying to get my attention."

In his mind, Robin saw the enigmatic teen again and again—running, fighting, saying something infuriating—the name _Grant_ just didn't seem to fit at all. Red X was never his friend, but Robin didn't necessarily count him as an enemy either. Red X had helped him save his team from Professor Chang, and without Red X's intervention, Robin would have certainly lost his briefcase, and in turn, his and Batman's secret identities.

Red X _was not_ Slade's son.

And he was not dead.

"I don't believe you," Robin shook his head, "and I don't want to play any more mind games."

Slade met the Titan's masked glare. "I held his body. Trust me, Robin—I know my son is dead."

Robin remembered the weight of the dead child he'd carried in the Narrows. His arms could feel it. At the same time, he was struck with an image of two hastily covered bodies lying side by side in the center ring of Haly's Circus.

"These last two months," Slade said, "I have buried all of my children, my wife, the woman who raised me as her own, and a man I counted as a friend for twice as many years as you have existed. If you have something flip to say about it, I sincerely hope you are prepared for the consequences, _Apprentice."_

If Red X really was Slade's oldest son, than that meant he was one of Hijack's victims who had seen their death coming. Robin's throat grew scratchy and tight at the thought. He couldn't help but imagine Red X struggling to escape. Robin had struggled, too, but he'd been lucky. Both Batman and Slade had intervened over the course of the night to save his life. Robin thought about the subway station, and the sadistic glee with which Hijack had tortured him. The thought of Hijack laughing while Red X died alone on some rooftop drained the anger from him; leaving a hollow feeling in its wake.

Robin asked, "Did Grant suffer?"

Slade closed and put away the device. "Only the brief fear of being hunted. It was over in seconds."

"I'm sorry he's gone."

"What's done is done. Their suffering is over, but Hijack's…" Slade's eye lost focus for a moment. "Well… what I plan for him isn't really for the ears of _children._ " Slade smirked and added, "I wouldn't want to give my apprentice nightmares, after all."

Robin scowled; absently massaging his right shoulder. The news that Red X was dead was shocking, but an inner, very Batman-sounding voice reminded the Titan that he needed to keep gathering information; especially while Slade was willing to share.

"Why is Hijack doing this anyway? It's obvious that he's insane, but why _this_ , and why now?"

Slade crossed his arms over the bullet-proof vest he wore. "Being an only child, I suppose you've never experienced sibling rivalry. ...To summarize—he just doesn't like me. He's spent his entire life blaming me for all of his problems. ...Years ago, he convinced himself that the life I lived, including my wife and sons, should have been his. He attacked us. A poorly thought-out venture that ended with him being shot out of a window and plummeting down the side of a mountain."

"But somehow he survived," Robin said.

Slade's mouth twitched in displeasure. "I should have made visual confirmation. Next time there won't be any doubt."

"Was he always a modified human?" Robin asked. "Can he regenerate like you?"

"His powers are a recent development. I found out that he stole a serum from LexCorp. It increases his strength and agility, but the effects are unstable. The serum's influence over his body ebbs and flows in ever-increasing extremes. Hijack was far stronger and faster when I encountered him, whereas he and the Dark Knight seemed evenly matched. His power seems to ramp up to new heights and then plummet. ...Unfortunately, the stress it must cause his body might end up killing him before I do."

"When he attacked me the first time, he moved so fast at first that I couldn't track him," Robin admitted. "Now that I'm thinking about it, his speed and strength seemed to fluctuate in the subway station, too. I guess the serum explains why you couldn't handle him on your own, and why, even with your advanced healing factor, he was able to injure you pretty badly."

Slade narrowed his eye.

"I grew up working with Batman. I know what someone hiding their injuries looks like," Robin said. "But there's something I still don't understand. You said the last time he attacked you was years ago. Something must have triggered Hijack to come after you again and everyone else on his list. Plus, you said he wanted your family for himself, so why did he destroy them?"

"If two children are fighting over a toy, Robin, there's always the chance that one might destroy it just to keep the other from having it." Slade's gaze flicked away and the villain took what appeared to be a calming breath. More to himself than Robin, he said, "Wade must have learned of our reconciliation... but the thing that made him snap..."

Slade's head tilted as he considered. "He must have found out Adeline's plan for me to finally meet the girl."

Robin scratched the back of his head. "Uhh, _girl?"_

The contemplative look slipped away from Slade's face and he regarded Robin. "Since Trigon's failure to annihilate all of humanity, Adeline and I fell into a routine of... running into each other. The last time we spoke, she showed me pictures of a girl about half your age. She was a secret. Although I suspect her brothers knew."

Robin's masked eyes widened. "You have a daughter?"

" _Had_ a daughter, Robin. There was a plan for us to formally meet on Christmas Eve," Slade said. "Of course, my dear half-brother got to them first, but I suppose you can't lose something you never really had, can you?"

Again, the Titan's arms felt the weight of the boy he'd been too late to save in the Narrows. "What was her name?"

" _Rose._ Before I found her body, I'd only seen a few pictures. I don't know much about her. I don't even know what the girl's voice sounded like, and I suppose I'll never know how much she knew about me. Not that it matters anymore."

"It matters," Robin said; confused at his own need to reassure the villain. "But what Hijack did… it still doesn't give you the right to—Hey, wait! Where are you going?"

Slade was almost through the door. He paused and said over his shoulder, "It's really not your concern—not yet. ...The hallway connects to a few other rooms in Penguin's bunker. The restroom is directly across. You should use the shower. No offense, but you look like _someone_ dragged you unconscious through a sewer."

Robin rolled his eyes. As if 'Officer Slade' looked any better. He gestured at the Sladebot still leaning by the room's open doorway. "That thing or the probes won't stop me?"

"Only if you attempt to leave this bunker. There are two places to avoid: the ladder at the end of the hallway, and a trapdoor in… I guess we could call it Penguin's _interrogation_ room. I'd give both areas a wide berth," Slade warned. His eye narrowed at the boy again. "If you don't, the pain those probes cause will be _nothing_ compared to what I do to you when I return."

Robin returned the threat with a dark glare of his own and a tight frown. He listened as Slade left; counting the man's steps. The footfalls changed only a few feet up the hall as Slade climbed what sounded like a long metal ladder. Robin heard a hatch wrench open. It slammed shut, and Robin almost flinched at the harsh echo rebounding throughout Penguin's bunker. A heavy silence followed. The knowledge that he was probably still deep underground made the young hero feel a twinge of claustrophobia.

Robin turned his attention to the Sladebot. It looked just like Slade. Well, _Slade-wearing-armor_ Slade. He wondered how many of them lurked around and above the bunker. The Sladebot watched him, and Robin's skin crawled. He tried to ignore its empty gaze. He looked down at his ruined uniform. What wasn't missing was badly torn. Swathes of grim stuck to the fabric and his bare skin, and his knees and arms were pretty bruised from Hijack tossing him around in the subway station.

A yawn overtook his mouth. He was exhausted. He knew his body needed to rest, but his training told him that it was more important to map out his surroundings. And he needed to get the sewer muck off and get warm.

Robin eased down from the table and, after he was sure his knees weren't going to give out, made several quick limps towards the exit; his hands grabbing the doorframe just in time to keep himself from reeling face first into the hallway's concrete floor. Breathing hard and flushed, he didn't dare look over at the Sladebot. The last thing he needed was smugness from a tin can.

He glanced up and down a short, narrow hallway. To his left was a red ladder at least thirty feet in length. At the top was a closed hatch. The other end of the hallway was a dead. Another Sladebot leaned against the empty wall of the dead end and watched him.

 _That makes two of them._ Robin made a point not to acknowledge the thing. He noted four other rooms attached to the hallway. The room directly across was open and lit. Robin could see enough of the inside to tell that it was the restroom. All the other doors in the hallway were closed.

Robin's arms and legs started to shake, so he hobbled the short distance into the restroom. He closed the door and was disappointed to find its lock disabled.

The room itself was standard; it had a toilet, a sink, a mirror, a shower, and an open storage cabinet with neatly stacked towels, but right away Robin's eyes were drawn to the folded orange and black uniform perched atop the towels. A mask similar to his own rested on the clothes. His steel-toed shoes, along with the apprentice uniform's black gloves and shoulder guards, and—surprisingly—his own rolled up cape, were tucked into the cabinet's lower shelve.

The Titan steadied himself with a hand on the wall and reached out with his other hand to trace the silvery, stylized _S_ attached to the uniform. He fought a sudden, almost violent urge to rip the emblem off and chunk it into the nearby waste basket.

Searching the cabinet, Robin found no utility belt included with the apprentice uniform. Gone also was the steel gorget he'd worn to protect his sternum and collarbones. The heavy gorget had slowed down many of his go-to aerial attacks. It was a relief to see the item missing, but the sight of his own cape and shoes mixed in with the apprentice uniform made him uneasy.

It was obvious Slade expected him to clean up and wear the uniform. Robin didn't doubt what would happen to Slade's victims if he refused.

It was just an outfit, he told himself; eyeing the stylized _S_ again. It would keep him warm and offer protection. It wasn't like his _Robin_ costume. It was just a means-to-an-end.

Nothing but cloth and armor.

It didn't have to mean anything.

But he hoped Batman never saw him in it.

* * *

 **Beneath the Bowery, Batman edged alongside a curved sewer wall. What had begun as a thin, shallow stream of questionable water had grown into a full-blown, flowing subterranean river of filth. And along with the trash, mold, and rats, Batman found himself encountering a surprising number of corpses.**

 **Even for Gotham.**

There were so many corpses that the bloated dead had created small islands along the sharper turns of the sewer walls. Robin was not among them, so Batman did not tarry.

Alfred spoke through the communicator embedded in his gauntlet, " _Good news, sir_ _. Deathstroke's mechanical minions are no longer attacking the city. The Titans handled them with ease. Unfortunately, each robot self-destructed, so I'm afraid we won't be able to use them to help us locate Robin; however, that's not the bad news. It's become apparent that Deathstroke's drones managed to infect upwards of two hundred people with the nanoscopic probes. All victims display the same_ _criteria—intense pain throughout their body accompanied with an inexplicable orange glow."_

Batman continued edging along the slimy wall. "So the probes have been activated."

" _Several times, sir. The attacks are simultaneous."_ Alfred hesitated. _"I hate to assume, but—"_

"If the probes are synced like before, it's possible that each time we see them activated, Robin's being tortured as well. Have there been any causalities?"

" _Twenty-seven confirmed. The young and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Victims are being assisted by the GCPD and our young friends to area hospitals. All of Gotham is under lockdown. The world's media is speculating as to whether this is some sort of terrorist attack."_

"Gordon will probably hold a press conference and assign blame to Scarecrow."

" _The media is also speculating the Joker's involvement. His spree with Ms. Quinn has escalated from robbery to arson. He's causing unchecked chaos, but I hesitate to send the Titans, sir."_

"Don't," Batman agreed. The vigilante paused against the sewer wall to consider his next move. The authorities were close to being overwhelmed. If that happened, then all of Gotham's criminals, from the common street thief to the loftiest of crime lords, would surely start crawling out of the woodwork. The banks and jewelry stores were at high risk as well as the city's power and water. Most of all, the people unable to lock their doors against such mindless evil, who didn't have doors and windows strong enough, or even doors and windows at all, were in grave danger if the GCPD and its allies lost control of the city.

" _Sir, the GCPD's main headquarters is under attack. Police wires are broadcasting a warning that the Scarecrow is loose inside. He must have managed to smuggle in some of his scare toxin. Perhaps through a hidden needle?"_

It was all too much to expect children, however powerful, to handle, but Batman also knew that leaving the tunnels—abandoning his current search for Robin—was exactly what Deathstroke wanted. The most dependable and mobile members of the League were still out of contact. And the Titans... they might underestimate villains like Scarecrow or the Joker and whoever else was out of Arkham eyeing the streets. Such villains wouldn't hesitate to kill the young heroes. They might even start hunting for the opportunity...

" _Sir? The Titans are requesting permission to join you."_

But sending them back to the cave was hardly an option and a waste of resources besides. The teens would refuse to go, and time would be wasted arguing with them. They would find their own missions to pursue, and probably end up over their heads. Batman didn't like it, but then again, he didn't like anything that was happening that night. He went with the best option he could think of.

"Send them to apprehend Scarecrow. Maybe Raven can teach Crane something new about fear," Batman said; his eyes catching another partial footprint in the sewer muck. "This section of the sewer spills out into the bay only a few miles from my location... Slade must have exited to the streets with Robin between here and the point where this tunnel becomes impassable to humans. He knows that we're monitoring the city. I think he's hunkered down in the Bowery."

 _"Be careful, Sir. Don't forget that the sewer beneath the Bowery is one of Killer Croc's favorite haunts. Deathstroke has already led us into one battle tonight."_

"Don't worry, Alfred. I'm not letting anything slow me down this time. Keep me updated on the situation above."

* * *

 **Minutes later** **Raven and Beast Boy landed beside the Bat-Signal. It's column of light pierced the dark sky and left a clear image of a bat in the clouds high above.**

Normally, Beast Boy would have commented on how cool it was to be so close to the iconic light, but his mind was absorbed with unsettling memories of people... tons of people... all suffering under the burning pain of the probes. He'd been helpless to do anything other than transport them, one after another, to the nearest ambulance. Their loved ones had begged him to do something, _anything,_ to make the torture stop. Their fear and anguish haunted him. He glanced at Raven and found her stoic as always. Beast Boy wondered how Cyborg and Starfire were holding up. He looked up to the sky and saw nothing but blood-red clouds hanging high over the city.

"Cyborg and Starfire should be here within the next fifteen minutes," Raven guessed; knowing the alien girl was flying from the south island and carrying Cyborg. Raven held out a hand to Beast Boy. "I'll teleport us inside."

Beast Boy took her hand and shivered as Raven enveloped both teens in her magic. They slipped through the roof and down a few floors to land in a darkened hallway. Right away Beast Boy's hackles went up and he shrank closer to his fellow Titan. The GCPD's power flickered on and off. The sounds echoing throughout the multi-storied building belonged to a haunted house attraction or an insane asylum. The young heroes heard gunshots, furniture crashing, glass shattering, and the muffled sounds of people yelling; both in anger and in terror. It was obvious that the Scarecrow had the officers in a scramble.

"We should be near the main security room. Every camera in this place is linked there. We can use them to find Scarecrow." Raven kept her voice low and led Beast Boy up the long, carpeted hall. They passed a breakroom and a string of dark offices.

Beast Boy followed closely; casting every shadow a nervous glance. "Okay, this place is _every horror movie ever_. Whatever we do, we are _not_ splitting up. Maybe we should wait on Cy and Star to get here. I mean, Scarecrow could be around any corner, and the cops sound like they're trying to kill each other! And do you even know where we're going?"

"Robin's been here a million times." Raven crouched near the wall and Beast Boy copied her. "I have a pretty good sense of where things are."

"Alfred," Raven spoke into her communicator, "we're inside. It looks like they're running on a backup generator. We don't know where Scarecrow is, but it sounds like a madhouse in here. I just hope it's not the Scare Dust. I'd hate to think of what could happen if I became infected. You really don't want to see what _my_ nightmares look like."

" _I dare not imagine. Fortunately, early reports indicate that Scarecrow injected a liquid toxin into the unlucky officers in charge of his interrogation. He must have had a syringe or two hidden on his person when the GCPD took him into custody. Of course, it's possible he's concocted more out of supplies within the GCPD."_

"You'd think they'd learn not to come near this guy," Beast Boy muttered.

 _"Proceed with caution. If you encounter him, I'd recommend overwhelming him with your powers immediately, Raven."_

Raven and Beast Boy shared a glance before resuming their search for the main security office. They rounded a corner and were met face to face with an armed policeman. Both teens stumbled to a halt; gasping in surprise at the wild-eyed man.

"Don't move!" he ordered; his voice stressed. He aimed at them with shakings hands. His face and uniform were blood-spattered. "I swear, no matter how many times you come back, _I'll just keep killing you!"_

Raven swept up an arm. A wave of blackness surged forward—knocking the man backwards and into a wall. Her power snatched up his gun and disintegrated it. Terrified, the officer fled her presence. He rounded another corner at the end of the hallway, but he didn't get far.

" _No! Not you!"_ the man screeched.

There was a sickening crunch and a heavy thud. The Titans rushed forward. They found the officer dead with another policeman kneeling on the ground nearby. The second officer was older and wounded. He struggled to get up. His uniform was bloodstained, and he held a reddened wad of gauze over his right eye.

Beast Boy's eyes widened. Had someone stabbed the poor guy's eye out? Had he done it to himself? The young Titan's heart hammered in his chest. This night was getting way too crazy.

"What happened?" Raven asked as the officer gained his feet. She read the nameplate pinned above his heart: _O'Connell._

Officer O'Connell pointed up the hall with his free hand. His voice was a hoarse whisper. "Scarecrow… his toxin has everyone attacking each other... He's made some kind of spray. My partner… He thought I was the Joker. He tried to kill me. I didn't have choice. I had to..."

The officer looked away.

"It's okay," Raven assured. "Everything is Scarecrow's fault. Find somewhere safe to hide. We'll handle Scarecrow."

They turned to leave the officer, and out of the corner of Beast Boy's eyes, he caught the man raising a gun. It was aimed for Raven.

"No!" Beast Boy shoved her aside; crying out as a dart containing blue liquid pierced his right shoulder. The Titan hit the ground. His whole body was enveloped in a blue glow. It burned! His face contorted with a yelp of pain, Beast Boy yanked the dart out. The eerie blue glow faded from his body. The pain, however, felt like lava in his veins.

"Beast Boy!" Raven crouched protectively beside him. Her eyes were wide. "Did you activate your holo-watch?"

"No, it's my powers—they're totally gone!" Beast Boy pulled off a glove and stared at his pale fingers in shock. He was no longer green. In fact, he was pretty sure that if he had a mirror, it would be Garfield Logan's face staring back at him.

"Raven, I can't transform!"

Raven turned on the officer. He stood straight now; half turned with his gun still raised. The gun was loaded with what appeared to be blue darts. He wore a smirk and an eyepatch. The bloody gauze now rested by his boots. Even without his armor, posed like that, both Titans knew him instantly.

"Slade," Raven growled; her eyes glowing red. "What did you to him?"

"Nothing permanent." Slade pointed the gun in Raven's direction. "Of course, if you want, I can always switch weapons."

He fired.

Gasping, Raven wrapped herself and Beast Boy in shadow and dove with him through the floor. They dropped into an office and landed on carpet.

Raven grimaced and curled in her legs. A blue dart stuck out from her thigh. Seeing that it was empty, the Titan pulled the dart out. The blue glow surrounding her body faded away. She clenched her teeth and willed the pain boiling her blood to subside, too.

"Raven!" Beast Boy scrambled close. "He got you, too!?"

"You're one to talk." She gave a pointed look to his shoulder. A dark stain had spread beneath the cloth of his uniform. Raven ripped off some of her cloak. "Here."

Beast Boy knelt beside her again. He wrapped the dark cloth around Raven's left thigh. She grimaced as he secured it tight around the wound.

"He could have killed us, Raven. What are we going to do? I can't transform. You can't do magic. We're _screwed!"_

"Calm down." She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Slade said it's not permanent. He's just making it harder for us to get Robin back."

"Here," she handed him the emptied dart, "put this in your belt. Maybe Batman and Alfred can use it to find out what's been injected into our bodies."

Beast Boy did so, and then held still as she tore off more of her cloak and used it to bind his shoulder. When she was done, he went to make sure the room's door was locked.

"Alfred," Raven spoke into her communicator, "Slade's here. He's dressed like a police officer, and he has as weapon that—Alfred? ...Uh oh."

Beast Boy whirled on her. "What do you mean, _uh oh!?"_

She tried switching frequencies and found the same static garble. Raven put away the communicator. "I can't reach Alfred. I think Slade or someone's jamming it. I hate to say it, but it looks like we're on our own here, Beast Boy."

"Aw man, what are we gonna do!? I can't do diddly-squat like this!" Beast Boy gave the room's windows a panicked scan. Thick blinds blocked his view of the hallway. "And even if we somehow manage to avoid Slade _and_ the freakin' Scarecrow, this whole place is still chock full of armed crazy cops!"

"Getting out of here won't be easy," Raven admitted, "but I think trying to hide is pointless. Slade's probably looking for us. We can't use our powers, so we need to find weapons to defend ourselves with."

Beast Boy's face lit up. He reached into his utility belt and produced Robin's bo-staff. Expanding it, he offered her the weapon. "I'm thinking since you've actually been in Robin's head you might have better luck with this than me."

"It's definitely better than nothing," Raven said, accepting the bo-staff and using it to pull herself up from the floor.

"Are you sure you feel okay?" Beast Boy reached to help her, but Raven held up a hand.

"It's fine. What about you?"

Beast Boy grinned. The pain had ebbed away. "It's nothing a stud like me can't handle."

Raven rolled her eyes. "We need to hurry and warn Alfred. I'm afraid he might still send Cyborg and Starfire in here once he realizes he can't reach us, and I'm not sure what will happen if Slade uses that gun on them. It's possible it could kill them."

"Are you serious?" Beast Boy ran nervous hands through his brown hair.

She nodded. "Starfire's powers are directly linked to her life-force. Cutting her off from them could be fatal. And as for Cyborg, whatever this weapon's doing to us, it's possible it might disrupt the balance between his organic and machine components."

"Then we've got to warn them," Beast Boy said. A moment later, the Titan scratched the back of his head. "Uhh... how are we gonna warn them again?"

"If we can get back to the roof, we can use the Bat-Signal. I bet all my books that Alfred keeps a camera pointed at that thing. Even if he doesn't, maybe we can flash an SOS," Raven said. "Maybe we can make it there before the others arrive."

Another gunshot echoed from a short distance.

Beast Boy looked around the room and snatched up a stapler. He held it towards the closed office door as if it were a gun.

Raven opened one of the desks drawers and pulled out a bottle of pepper spray. Beast Boy flashed her a sheepish grin and traded his stapler for the spray. He followed her gaze up towards the ceiling's ventilation.

"Aw man, this is gonna kill my allergies," he grumbled.

* * *

 **Together, the Titans navigated their way through the dark halls of the GCPD. The screaming and yelling had largely died down, and now they could hear sirens outside the building. The red and blue lights flashed outside the GCPD's large, Gothic windows; casting eerie shadows in the long hallways and silent offices. If there were any officers still alive or conscious in the building, they were probably hiding.**

Raven did her best to avoid straying too close to any of the bodies they stumbled across. More than once she tricked Beast Boy into looking here or there, or anywhere but the direction of a grisly murder. Fortunately the younger teen seemed more focused on making it to the roof than on examining his surroundings. Raven led him on a quiet path towards a stairwell and tried not to think about the horror that had unfolded. These officers were probably friends, and the survivors would have to live with the knowledge that they may have killed their colleagues. Her pity for them weighed heavy on her heart, but she suppressed the emotion. She had to stay focused on leading Beast Boy out of there. At last they reached the stairwell that led to the roof.

Carefully, Raven eased open the heavy stairwell door and peeked into the landing. The stairwell was lit by the green glow of exit lights. She listened hard, but heard nothing. She motioned for Beast Boy to follow her into the stairwell and was pleased at the care he took to make sure the door didn't slam behind them. The young heroes looked up and down the shadowy stairs and landings. All was quiet and still.

"Come on." Raven started up the stairs; ignoring the twinge of pain in her thigh as she continued using Robin's bo-staff as walking stick. "I think we're only two floors from the roof."

Beast Boy stayed on her heels, and quickly the Titans made their way past another landing, up another set of stairs, and almost ran right into Gotham's self-proclaimed Prince of Terror. Raven and Beast Boy gasped; snatching ahold of the rail to keep themselves from wheeling backwards. Scarecrow had been lurking above; probably watching and waiting for them to draw close. He looked like something out of a nightmare, well, except for the white cast encasing one of his arms.

"What a pleasure." Scarecrow gave Raven and Beast Boy a mocking bow. "I can finally say that I've met a _Teen Titan_ —well, other than the Bat's protégé. Tell me, children, does all that heroic comradery give you comfort? The world is, after all, a dark and scary place. You never know what's around the corner, or _behind your back."_

"I don't know what the word _com-rabies_ means," Beast Boy aimed his pepper spray towards the villain, "but I know taking you down will definitely give me comfort!"

In her most threatening and commanding voice, Raven warned, "Give it a rest, Scarecrow. You're not getting out of this building, and trust me, you've never seen _anything_ like me. Not even in your worst nightmares."

Scarecrow grinned behind his sackcloth mask. "Oh, but I've heard all about you, _Raven._ I'll never forget the aftermath—the magnificent horror caused by your occult powers. I, of course, was one of the lucky ones who slept in stone. Imagine my delight when I awoke to a world of hysteria—of fallen planes and freak accidents. You caused more death, fear, and destruction than I will likely ever accomplish."

He gave the young sorceress another mocking half-bow. "You, my dear, are truly awe-inspiring. However, I must admit, it baffles the mind to see you masquerading as something so mundane as a _hero_. It's a disgusting waste and pathetic."

"I'll show you pathetic," Raven snapped; raising her hand as if she were about to command a torrent of magic.

But a blast of red energy nailed Raven square in the back. She cried out in surprise and pain, and crumpled against the steps; her body glowing orange and filled with a familiar agony. Through the burning haze consuming her, she realized Beast Boy was also glowing orange and suffering on the steps beside her. Angered by the sight of him in such pain, Raven pulled herself up onto her hands and knees. Behind her, she saw Slade advancing up the stairs. Ahead, the Scarecrow watched; amused at by their anguish.

Raven realized her fingers were still curled tight around Robin's bo-staff. She used the weapon to push herself back to her feet and tried to keep both villains in her sights. She'd faced predators far more dangerous than either of them, and she refused to cower.

"Where is Robin?" she demanded; gritting her teeth against the pain wracking her body. The probes felt like a thousand needles working their way through her bloodstream. The puncture wound in her thigh seared like a hot coal embedded in her leg.

As he passed, Slade nonchalantly shoved Raven aside with one arm and ripped the bo-staff away. He joined Scarecrow on the next landing and watched the young sorceress tumble down the hard steps.

Raven managed to grab ahold of the railing. Groaning against the pain, she pulled and crawled her way back up the stairs again. Her murderous glare was on Slade, but they both knew there was no venom left in her fangs.

Slade allowed her to make the landing. He then jabbed the end of Robin's bo-staff into Raven's shoulder and sent her flying backwards again. With a shriek, the girl crashed into Beast Boy and both Titans rolled down the steps; landing in a heap at the previous landing.

Tears streamed down Raven's face as she pushed herself up once again. Beneath her, Beast Boy was sprawled on his back and unconscious; still glowing as the probes burned him from head to toe. Raven's entire body shook in agony, and she was sure her arm was broken. She glared up at the villains; her teeth clenched in pain.

"I'm sure my apprentice will be glad to see this again." Slade twirled the bo-staff and collapsed it; putting it away. "Although I doubt he'll appreciate learning how I came upon it."

"We're not going to give up," Raven managed. Then her eyes rolled back, and she passed out across Beast Boy's chest.

* * *

 **Leaving the probes on, Slade shared a glance with Scarecrow and nodded towards the exit. The next set of stairs led to the rooftop.**

Once they were outside, Slade turned to the other villain and handed over the gun loaded with Limiters. The blue darts sparkled in the night.

"You're too soft a target," Slade said. "Go on to Metropolis and make sure our _friends_ are still contained. My apprentice and I will follow as soon I'm satisfied we have secure passage."

Scarecrow's pale eyes narrowed at being called _soft_ and ordered around like a common thug, but his malicious gaze switched towards the city. Scattered bits of snow had begun to fall from the dark red clouds high above. The sky was filled with media and police helicopters. Spotlights swept the city. Down in the streets, the GCPD was surrounded by flashing lights, and several buildings were on fire throughout the city.

With his good arm, Scarecrow gestured at the Bat-Signal. "What's to keep him from tracking me there?"

"He's preoccupied and soon to be contained as well." Slade turned off the probes and pulled out a device that connected him directly to his online Sladebots. He dialed into the ones positioned near and inside the Penguin's underground bunker.

When Scarecrow made no move to leave, Slade added, "You have my assurance. The Dark Knight will not trouble you again, Professor Crane. ...You have nothing to fear."

Scarecrow cast a dark look in Slade's direction. Without reply, he turned on his heel and stalked away; vanishing over the snow-covered roof edge and into Gotham's shadows.

Slade refocused on his device; selecting the point-of-view of the robot he'd left to guard Robin in the bunker's medical room. His apprentice wasn't there, so Slade switched perspectives to the robot positioned in the bunker's hallway and found Robin slumped against a wall. He was pleased to see the boy wearing the apprentice uniform, albeit with the addition of his black and yellow cape.

Although Slade wasn't personally fond of capes, he knew that it was an integrated part of both Batman's and Robin's fighting styles. It was a fluid shield, and if wielded correctly, a powerful offensive weapon as well. And, of course, the cape enabled stealth and an additional layer of elemental protection. Letting the boy keep it was a gift. Perhaps even a small token of remorse.

Slade pressed in a few commands and the robot in the medical room strode into the hallway. It carried Robin back to the steel table; depositing the unconscious teenager on his side so as not to further aggravate the knife wounds on his back.

Through the eyes of the robot, Slade gazed down at the youth wearing his colors and felt a surge of possessiveness. The feeling startled him, but rather than forcing the emotion down right away to co-mingle with his rage and grief, Slade allowed it to linger.

Perhaps he shouldn't have infected the other two Titans. Doing so had caused unearned harm to his apprentice, and now Robin was practically in a coma for the third time that night. Slade knew he would have to start treading carefully. The boy didn't have supernatural strength or healing abilities. His heart and brain could only handle so much stress. That he'd survived so much already was remarkable, but it was also within the boundaries Slade had expected.

Now that they'd seemingly reached the end of those boundaries, a part of Slade wanted to keep pushing out sheer sadistic curiosity just to see how much more his apprentice could handle before breaking. It was tempting, but ultimately far too counterproductive. Breaking the boy would doubtless involve inflicting irreparable damage, and he'd already decided long ago that he wanted _Robin_ as his apprentice—not some cobbled together traumatized remnant of the young hero.

A warning pinged on his device and the camera feed automatically switched to that of a robot positioned above the bunker's hatch. Two men in jeans and leather jackets approached the bunker's entrance. Slade recognized them instantly as part of the contingent accompanying Penguin earlier that night. Slade's eye widened as he realized that one of them held a military grade electromagnetic silencer.

Apparently, the black market in Gotham had upped the ante in terms of quality.

There was flash of light and sound, and Slade watched his device's screen turn to static. He breathed a curse at the Penguin, pocketed the device, and ran.

* * *

 **Starfire and Cyborg landed on the now empty GCPD's roof. The alien girl set Cyborg down and spoke into her communicator.**

"Alfred, we have arrived at the _G-C-P-D_ ," Starfire said.

" _Excellent. Raven's and Beast Boy's communicators came online moments ago. According to their locators, you should find them on the west stairwell. There should be a rooftop entrance to your left. They are not responding. Please—be very careful."_

Cyborg ran through the rooftop door. Inside, he paused halfway down the steps when he spotted Raven and Beast Boy below on the next landing.

"Star, I got them!" Cyborg hurried as Starfire swept in from above.

The alien girl gently gripped Raven by the shoulders.

"Raven! Are you injured? Please respond!" Starfire pressed her cheek to the young sorceress's chest. Relieved, she looked up at Cyborg. "Her heart beats strong as a Lor'danian drum. She is only unconscious."

Cyborg sighed in relief. He knelt beside Beast Boy and carefully leaned him up; propping the younger teen in the crook of his arm. "Hey, man, wake up. What happened to ya'll? Come on, man. Open your eyes and say something cheesy!"

"Cyborg," Starfire's worried gaze swept over Beast Boy, "why has our friend changed? He is no longer green, and yet he does not appear to be wearing a holo-watch."

"Looks like they got into a tough fight, too," Cyborg said; glancing at the torn cloak wrapped around Raven's thigh and Beast Boy's right shoulder. "Hey, Alfred, these guys are out cold and in pretty bad shape. Something is definitely up with BB. He's not green! I have no idea what happened, but it's gotta have something to do with Scarecrow, right?"

" _I was unable to monitor the GCPD while the area was being jammed. The Scarecrow could be anywhere. It is very likely he has already escaped the building. Bring Raven and Beast Boy back to the cave for evaluation."_

"What about this place?" Cyborg asked. "There might be people here who need help."

" _Commissioner Gordon is on his away to retake the GCPD with assistance from the National Guard,"_ Alfred said. _"We need to find out what's happened to your friends. You must bring them here immediately. Batman is apprised of the situation and agrees."_

Looking down at the stressed, unconscious faces of Raven and Beast Boy, Cyborg found his worry for them winning out over any heroic obligation to Gotham's police force. Beast Boy's appearance unsettled him the most.

"You got it. We'll try to get back as quick as we can." Cyborg turned to Starfire. "Take them and go on without me, Star. It'll be way faster. I'll just get back on foot."

" _No need. The Batmobile has been dispatched to rendezvous with your location. It will bring you back here on autopilot. Cyborg, listen carefully—it is imperative that you don't touch anything. The car will maneuver itself past any obstacle you may encounter."_

Putting Beast Boy over his shoulder, Cyborg said, "Don't worry, Al! I _promise_ I won't press any buttons!"

* * *

 **Seconds later, Cyborg was pressed hard against the driver's seat. His fingers clung to the upholstery as the sleek vehicle drove a suicide course through Gotham City. Beside him, Raven and Beast Boy were stuffed into the front passenger's seat. Starfire kept pace in the sky overhead.**

" _A-A-Alfrrred!_ This thing is gonna _kill_ us!" Cyborg braced himself for another hard, physics-defying turn.

From the car's dashboard, Alfred said, _"Nonsense, Master Victor. The seatbelts and ejection system are state-of-the-art."_

"I don't wanna die! _I don't wanna die!"_ the Titan cried anyway.

Ahead, a building burst into a tower of flames.

The Batmobile dodged raining debris. In the air, Starfire was forced to blast apart chunks of brick hurling outward from the explosion.

"Holy Taco Day, Alfred! What the heck was that?" Cyborg twisted in his seat to look back at the fire.

" _That_ _was the Joker and Harley Quinn."_

"Man, this night has gone totally nuts!" Cyborg sighed. "I hate to admit it, but I think Slade is already twenty steps ahead of us."

 _"Even if that's true, we must carry on. You never know when a change in luck may turn the tides in our favor. Listen carefully, you're about to go underwater. Don't panic. I assure you, the car can withstand the pressure."_

Before Cyborg could reply, the Batmobile took a sharp right turn and sped up. Cyborg grabbed the wheel, though it moved of its own accord in his grip, and screamed as the car flew off the road. It dove with missile precision into the black waters of Gotham Bay. A propulsion system rocketed the car forward so fast that Cyborg didn't catch when or how he'd entered a series of underwater tunnels. The car jolted as the Batmobile's tires connected with a track. Cyborg was shot upwards and around and down again before finally bursting into the Batcave through a waterfall. The Batmobile screeched to a halt on the cave's centermost platform.

The moment the car opened Cyborg clambered out of it. From higher in the cave, Alfred and Starfire looked down at him. The alien girl had clearly been told an alternative entrance to the Batcave.

"Cyborg, are you all right?" She flew to his side.

"I think I just saw my life and all my past lives flash before my eyes," Cyborg said solemnly, "and it was awesome! Man, I gotta update the T-Car like crazy when we get home. Hey, Al! Do you think Batman'll let me take a peek at his car's specs?"

* * *

 **Below** _ **The Iceberg Lounge,**_ **a pair of the Penguin's henchmen named Don and Nick stood over Robin. The robot Slade had left to guard the room lay at their feet; deactivated by an electromagnetic pulse.**

"He reminds me of my little brother," Don said; regarding Robin. He scratched a rash on his chin. "You sure he isn't too old?"

"He's young enough." Nick smoothed a short piece of duct tape over Robin's mouth. "The buyers just want him in fair enough shape. You know, no broken bones or anything."

"Looks okay to me, Nick."

"Lucky for us he's drugged or something." Nick tore off a longer stretch of tape and used it to bind the young hero's arms from wrist to elbow.

The boy drew in a deep breath and stirred at the rough handling.

The henchmen froze. A few tense moments passed before Nick sighed and pulled out a small syringe. He injected the young hero with a sedative, and, once Robin was still, began quietly binding the youth's knees.

"You know, Nick, maybe we should drop this gig." Don tugged at the neckline of his muscle shirt. "It won't be pretty if the boss or Deathstroke find out it was us. And what about the Bat? He's gotta be royally pissed. He might just pin the whole situation on us, you know?"

"Christ, Don," Nick threw him an annoyed glance, "why do you think I brought you? You've got a gun that can put holes in the freakin' Batmobile. Look, once we get paid, we split up and head to the other side of the planet, okay? So if you see someone just shoot them. Even if it's the freakn' boss. Better yet, when I'm finished, give me the gun and you can carry Boy Wonder."

"I dunno if this is worth the risk." Don gripped Robin by the chin and turned the unconscious hero's face to the side. "Are you sure he's even Robin? I thought Robin was red and green. You know—Christmas colors. This kid looks like a mini-Deathstroke."

"Of course it's Robin," Nick snapped. He finished wrapping a thick layer of tape around the teen's ankles. "You really think Deathstroke and the boss would get it wrong? He's the real deal. It doesn't matter how he's dressed. If the buyers want him in a _Robin_ costume they can get a freakin' tailor. Gimme the gun and get the kid. I can't guarantee our little distraction upstairs will last much longer. We need to book it."

Don passed the large weapon over. He reached for Robin, but paused to run a curious finger along the edge of the boy's mask.

"It's practically sealed to his face," the goon commented. "Hey, Nick, don't you wanna see what he looks like? Knowing could be worth something."

"Just leave it," Nick said; exasperated. He kept the gun trained on the hallway. "That thing might tear if you start prying at it, and who knows, maybe the buyers will like this costume if some jackass doesn't go ripping it up."

Don glumly hefted the unconscious hero over his shoulder and shadowed Nick into the hallway. As soon as he stepped out, power to the bunker shut off and the hall flooded in darkness.

"Someone cut the lights!" Don backed into the wall. "Nick!"

"It's all right, Don. I locked the latch behind us from the inside and the sewer trapdoor's always locked, too. There's no way someone could have busted in here without us hearing it. They're probably on their way though. Put your hand on my shoulder and I'll get us to the trapdoor. I can get us in the right room. I've been in this bunker a million times. You still got Boy Wonder?"

"Yeah." Don gripped Nick's shoulder. "Hey, maybe it's not a big deal anyway. Maybe it is just another power outage. Who the hell knows, right?"

There was a quiet laugh in the dark.

Nick fired in succession towards the sound, and with each shot, he was able to see flashes of a one-eyed GCPD officer dodge every bullet. He heard Don scream. Deathstroke's fist slammed into Nick's face. The henchman collided with a wall; tasting blood before he passed out.

* * *

 **Nick awoke to bright ceiling lights. Bleary-eyed and confused, he realized he was still in the bunker. In fact, he recognized the room. He'd worked there plenty of times for the Penguin. The room was a last stop for anyone who owed the boss too much money, or who possessed information Penguin needed. The room contained torture wracks, manacles embedded into the cinderblock walls, and an array of tools meant to sear and cut.**

The door leading to the hallway was closed. The trapdoor, however, was only about six feet away and wide open. Nick could smell the sewer below. He'd kicked plenty of bodies into that hole and knew the sewer's landscape well. Cautiously, he pushed himself up from the floor just enough to give the room a more thorough scan. He saw Robin, _sans_ duct tape, lying unconscious on one of the Penguin's torture racks.

Nick's stomach sank. The kid had company.

Deathstroke was seated on the edge of the torture rack and still dressed in a bloodied police uniform; although Nick swore there was more blood splattered across it than before. In one hand, Deathstroke studied the screen of a small device. It cast an eerie light across the man's face. His other hand casually held a gun pointed towards the concrete floor.

 _Shit_ , Nick thought. He switched his gaze back to the open trapdoor. _If I sprint, I can lose him at least long enough to make it street-side, assuming he even bothers chasing after me._

Nick eased up onto one knee.

"Awake at last. That's _good,_ Nicholas."

Nick froze. He needed to run, but he couldn't move, and as Deathstroke put away the device and turned his full attention upon the henchman, Nick began to fear in earnest that he'd never see the outside of Penguin's bunker again.

Deathstroke pulled Nick's emptied wallet out of a pocket. He tossed it at the henchman. The wallet bounced off Nick's shoulder and landed on the cement floor. Nick stared dumbly at it a moment before meeting the villain's gaze again.

"Well, Nicholas," Deathstroke said; his tone surprisingly light, "I have a gun and a knife. Which would you prefer me to use? Of course… if those bore you, I can always improvise."

"H-Hey, man. Slow down." Nick swallowed. "It was all Don's idea. He had me over a barrel, okay? Total blackmail. He's got evidence and stuff he said he'd take to the police if I didn't help him move the kid! I didn't have a choice!"

Deathstroke rose to his feet. "I wouldn't waste the precious last moments of your life lying, Nicholas. The truth is, the poor idiot in the hallway is dead because of you—because _you_ made a foolish deal concerning my apprentice _._ This much I already know."

Nick shook his head. "It wasn't me, I swear!"

"But what I don't know," Deathstroke continued, "is the buyer's name and their exact location."

Sweating despite the cold, Nick glanced again between the trapdoor and Deathstroke. His throat felt raw. "If I tell you their names, will you—"

Deathstroke advanced.

"Wait! We can talk!" Nick scrambled backwards as the villain stalked after him. Nick's back hit a wall and he braced himself against it; his upturned face stricken with terror. His arms lifted to shield himself.

"Perhaps I should use a knife after all." Deathstroke aimed the gun at Nick's groin. "The human body has so many tender pieces, and I have no qualms about finding out which ones you're the most attached to. But to be honest, Nicholas, I'm actually quite pressed for time. Not that it matters where you're concerned. I can move very fast under pressure. ...Still, the quicker we get down to business, the better."

"You want info on the buyers—right? I can tell you all about them! You'll let me go if I tell you, right!?"

"Tell the truth, and I'll consider sparing the pathetic existence that passes for your life. ...Lie to me," Deathstroke said, "and I'll start by skinning you alive. And you won't like where I start."

"Their name is Delacroix," Nick spilled. "Nolan and Alice Delacroix! They're doctors. They got a penthouse in Metropolis. Silver Crest Casino. Suite number six. Top floor. That's where we were taking him. I've been there lots of times. I could even draw you a map. I could take you there. Please, let me take you there. The boss sells them high-dollar drugs all the time. You know, and other stuff. They got connections. I even know a way you can slip in past their security, I swear, but you'd have to take me with you."

Deathstroke's eye narrowed. "Exactly how much did Oswald know about your half-witted scheme to kidnap my apprentice?"

Nick licked his lips. Normally, he wouldn't hesitate to throw someone else under the bus, but his instincts were screaming at him to be honest. "The boss didn't know nothing. After I saw it was the Bat's sidekick down here, I gave the Delacroix's a call to see if they'd be interested. They have all this Bat-artifact stuff in their penthouse. You know, like batarangs and stuff. ...They've bought older kids from me before so I figured... They were definitely interested. I mean, _cash up front,_ _tickets to lay low on a private island_ interested. It was so much money. And I got all these debts. They took total advantage of me!"

The blue eye filled with ire and Nick panicked. "Look! You can check my phone! They've been blowing it up all night since we made the deal. I mean, can you believe those sick perverts? They got all the money in the world and it still isn't enough for 'em. They go and take advantage of poor slobs like me—knowing how desperate I am for cash and all. And, man, that kid, who knows what would've happened."

Deathstroke pulled out the henchman's phone, and, once given the code to unlock it's initial screen, began checking the phone's calls and messages.

 _Now's my chance,_ Nick thought; preparing to bolt. But Deathstroke fired—shooting Nick first in one kneecap and then the other.

Blood and splintered bone ruptured across the concrete floor. As Nick howled and cursed, Deathstroke kept his attention on the chain of texts concerning his apprentice.

Nick was telling the truth.

The Delacroix's seemed to feel completely at ease having open communication about the whole sordid affair. It spoke volumes about their apparent power and influence.

Deathstroke smiled as he pocketed the phone. "Thank you, Nicholas, for your cooperation. I promise to end your suffering soon."

He put away his gun. He wouldn't need it.

* * *

 **Minutes later, with ruined legs and broken arms, Nick thrashed uselessly as Slade dragged him towards the opened trapdoor; leaving a trail of blood on the concrete. The acrid smell of sewer water hit Nick's nostrils and the man began screaming.**

"Don't! _Don't!_ You said you'd let me go! _Please!"_

Slade left Nick on the trapdoor's edge and strode back to where Robin lay.

Nick couldn't see what Deathstroke was doing, but his panicked mind spun with possibilities. Among visions of continued torture, he dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, the horrible man was going to let him live after all. Dizzy from pain and blood loss, he couldn't make his body roll away rom the dark hole. He could feel the cold air wafting up from below. The sound of the thick current of sewer water dogged his ears.

Deathstroke returned with a wad of the duct tape he'd removed from Robin earlier. He knelt beside Nick. "I said I would _consider it."_

The henchman's eyes bulged in fear as he tried to twist away.

Slade snatched him by the hair. His other hand squeezed Nick's mouth until it opened. Slade stuffed it full with duct tape. He stood and used his foot to shove Nick through the hole in the floor. After hearing a loud splash, Slade closed the trapdoor and locked it, glad to be rid of the human garbage.

His eye fell on Robin.

None of the screams, not even the sound of gunfire in such an enclosed space, or the stench of gore had managed to rouse the boy. Taking off his gloves and tossing them aside, Slade approached the torture rack. He checked Robin's pulse. It was strong and steady.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if the Titan was playing possum. Perhaps Robin had been letting Nicholas and the other idiot kidnap him in some sort of naïve escape attempt.

No. The boy had been clearly warned about getting too close to the trapdoor or the ladder.

Perhaps they had sedated him.

A warning emitted from one of the devices in Slade's pockets.

Batman was getting a little too close for comfort.

Slade shrugged off the bullet-proof vest and police jacket; leaving them on the floor. He was left wearing a white muscle-tight shirt. Other than a dried splotch of the previous owner's blood directly over the heart, the shirt was clean.

"For someone so short, you're starting to get heavy," Slade muttered as he carried the boy back to the medical room across the hall.

Robin wasn't the only one running out of reserves that night.

It was time to deliver a message.

Unfortunately, it meant that he would have to cause the boy unearned harm once again.

* * *

 **Bellow the Bowery, the Dark Knight continued a long trek through the sewers. The stench of waste and gore permeated the air. The facedown body of a man wearing a leather jacket floated by, but Batman's attention was snagged by the sight of a very familiar green pair of gloves.**

They were half-coated in sewer muck and trapped amongst other debris coating the disgusting river's edge. Batman left them and continued on.

Checking his gauntlet's map of the city, he realized that his current tunnel would soon pass underneath a hodgepodge of buildings; including _The Iceberg Lounge._ Batman had already decided to check the _Lounge_ after seeing how much of Deathstroke's path he could trace underground. After all, if Slade Wilson had managed to rope Scarecrow into his scheme, then it wasn't a longshot to think that perhaps he'd enlisted the Penguin's help as well.

" _Sir, good news. I have finished reviewing the video files from Hijack's hard drive. We now have a complete account of his victims; however, one file is audio-only. Based on the victim's voice, I believe she is a young girl."_

"Have the Titans seen the footage?"

" _No sir. I believed it best to occupy them with other tasks. The videos are quite graphic. The one of that monster carving into Master Richard's back will haunt my dreams for the rest of my life."_

Batman's teeth clenched, but calmly, he asked, "What did he carve, Alfred?"

" _The word 'mine' in capital letters, sir. I think it was a message to his brother. Speaking of Hijack—he awoke during the last round of nanoscopic probe attacks. He believes Deathstroke has captured him."_

"I'll deal with him later. Did Raven and Beast Boy remember anything else about the weapon Slade shot them with?" Batman asked.

" _It made them glow blue, sir. I have Cyborg running an analysis on the darts used to shoot them. Raven and Beast Boy are assisting me at the console. We haven't been able to locate the Scarecrow since he escaped the GCPD. On a better note, the Joker and Ms. Quinn have finally called it a night, and the GCPD has been brought back under control. Oh, and the analysis on Hijack's blood has made some progress. Whatever's given him his strength and agility, it seems to be losing effect,"_ Alfred said.

" _Hey, Batman!"_ chimed Beast Boy's voice. _"How's it going? I, uh, I guess you would've told us if you'd found any sign of Robin yet, huh?"_

"I'll find him," Batman assured.

" _Sir, Starfire is requesting permission to join ysssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"_

Alfred's voice was swallowed in a harsh, static buzz.

" _Greetings, Dark Knight… Titans,"_ Slade spoke through their communicators. _"I'm afraid it's time for our little game of cat and mouse to end. I'm aware that the Titans have already scurried back to the nest, but you, Dark Knight, are still sloshing around in the sewers. I'm sure you're having the time of your life down there."_

Batman said, "I must be getting close, Slade, for you to bother contacting me."

" _Either way, your search ends here and now,"_ Slade replied. _"As you know, my apprentice and over a hundred other denizens of Gotham have been infected with nanoscopic probes. You should be well aware by now that once activated, the probes unleash agonizing pain."_

"You've already murdered at least three dozen people tonight; mostly the very young and elderly. I never realized you were the type to torture children to death, Wilson."

 _"Things change. ...Speaking of change, how about a change of pace? I've decided we're going to have a race."_

"I'm not playing games, Wilson. You need to end this now."

" _You'll play this one,"_ Slade said; heat leaking into his tone. _"When I end this conversation, I'm going to turn on the nanoscopic probes, and I'm going to leave them on until you return to your lair. Should any of your allies who are already contained within the cave leave, I will simply leave the probes on until they return. I wouldn't bother calling for outside help, either. I sincerely hope you hurry—for the sake of my apprentice."_

"Robin's a lot stronger than you give him credit for," Batman said; running towards the nearest tunnel exit.

" _It won't kill Robin, but this setting is more than enough to ease the hospitals' burden. Do you really want the boy feeling responsible for what happens? Hurry, Dark Knight. Be home by midnight, and I'll even let you see him again. If he's able, you can even talk to him."_

The screen rolled to static and there was a crackling noise on the communicator, and then Alfred's voice. _"—hear me!?"_

Batman ran through the sewer; his cape billowing behind as his boots splashed through the muck. "I hear you, Alfred."

" _Sir, we heard everything. You have six minutes until midnight. The nanoscopic probes have been activated. There are visual confirmations across the hospitals and here."_

Batman could hear Raven and Beast Boy moaning in the background. He launched himself up a ladder and emerged into the icy streets. He used his grappling hook to gain access to the roofs. He barely felt his feet touching the icy slopes as he ran and leapt his way to the alley where he'd left his motorcycle hours earlier.

* * *

 **There were only two seconds to spare when Batman arrived at the Batcave. He parked the bike and grappled up to the console to Alfred and the other Titans.**

Alfred and Starfire were helping Raven and Beast Boy get back to their feet.

Furious, Cyborg faced the console. He took out his communicator, too. "Hey! Slade! We know you gotta be listening! We're all here! Now let us see Robin!"

There was no response.

Frustrated, Cyborg crushed the communicator in his hand. He threw a punch at the console, but Starfire caught his fist in her palm.

They shared a look and Cyborg nodded; silently promising to reign in his temper. He wasn't just angry at Slade. He was angry at himself, too. He'd tried and failed to create a flushing agent that could remove the probes from Beasty Boy and Raven. It was the same agent he'd used the last time Slade had used the probes, but these new probes weren't affected at all. He would have to keep trying using samples of the two Titan's blood.

"Alfred, how is he doing this?" Batman asked. "The diagnostic you ran on the cave showed no abnormalities."

"He must be using a technology far more advanced than our own," Alfred admitted. "An unsettling thought for sure."

"No one on this planet has technology more advanced than WayneTech." Batman frowned up at screens.

"Maybe he got it from another planet," Beast Boy guessed. "Or maybe someone on this planet got it from like Planet Zebnar or something and sold it to him."

"You totally just made that place up…" Raven muttered. She turned a concerned face to Batman. She didn't need her powers to sense his brooding anger. "So… are we stuck here until Slade contacts again?"

Batman's frown curved deeper. "Yes."

Alfred cleared his throat, "In the meantime, perhaps we should go over Hijack's previous victims."

Batman agreed, and the Titans turned their worried eyes to the butler.

"There were nine videos in total," Alfred said; taking a seat in his chair. His coat was folded neatly across the back of it, allowing his arms more flexibility at he typed. "Hijack recorded himself killing several members of Slade Wilson's family; including their mother, Deathstroke's estranged wife, and his three children. All were executed via gunshot to the head. In addition, Hijack has murdered two people close to the Wilson family—Alex Peabody and William Wintergreen."

"And Robin would have made eight," Cyborg said. "I thought you said there were nine victims?"

Alfred shared a look with the Dark Knight. "Indeed. Hijack carved the number _nine_ into two of his victims—Slade Wilson's youngest son and their mother. Of course… there was also a video file for Robin."

Alfred paused a moment to keep his composure, but the Titans could see anger in the butler's dark eyes. "Hijack tortured Robin by carving the word _mine_ into the young master's back. While doing so, he chanted the words _all nine are mine_ —presumably as a taunt to Deathstroke. Based on this, I think it's safe to assume that Robin was meant to be Hijack's ninth and final victim. The file preceding Robin's is likely that of the eighth victim."

Alfred brought up the file. "The majority is audio-only."

A paused image of a canyon wall filled the console's main screen.

"Listen carefully," Batman told the Titans and gave Alfred a nod.

The file began to play.

" _I know you're following me! Show yourself!"_

The blood in their veins froze at the sound of Terra's voice. At the shock on their young faces, Alfred paused the video again.

"That was Terra!" Beast Boy said. "Why did you stop it!? What happened to her!?"

"Please, you must tell us." Starfire's hands hovered over her mouth.

Alfred sighed. It was exactly as he had feared. Although the girl never appeared in the video, the landscape and her apparent powers matched closely to Robin's descriptions of a former Titan named Terra, who had also served as Slade's apprentice.

"We can now assume with certainty that Slade's second apprentice is also a victim," the butler said; meeting Batman's gaze.

"What do you mean _with certainty_?" Beast Boy demanded. He looked from the screen to Alfred. "What happened!?"

Cyborg put a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder.

"It's all right, Alfred," Batman said. "Show them the rest."

Reluctantly, Alfred resumed play.

The video was from Hijack's perspective since the camera was embedded in his chest armor. He was rounding the canyon corner when a giant boulder collided into him. The images onscreen became a jumbled mess of lines and static. The audio was stilted for almost a full minute—then a laughing sound—digitized and broken by the corrupted feed—echoed throughout the cave.

The file ended.

The other Titans looked to Beast Boy.

"That's not proof of anything!" he insisted; shaking his head. "She could totally still be alive! Terra is way too smart and tough to let some _stupid Slade-knock-off_ beat her in a fight!"

Raven placed a comforting hand on his arm, but Beast Boy batted her and Cyborg away. He turned his glare towards the cell containing Hijack.

Powers or not, he was determined to get answers.

* * *

 **Batman and the Titans followed Beast Boy's furious march down catwalks and natural stone steps until they reached the level of the cave containing Hijack's cell. Through the window, they could see the villain twitching vainly beneath the thick bands securing him to a steel table.**

Batman pressed a button on the side of the cell, and they were able to hear what the man was yelling.

"Slade! Stop being a coward and face me! Where are you hiding!"

"If we knew, we wouldn't be here," Cyborg said bitterly, using the cell's communication system.

Hijack grew still at the unfamiliar voice. He lifted his head as much as he could and peered forward at the observation window. Seeing the four Titans and Batman, he gave a broad grin.

"Man, look at you guys. What kind of a freak show is this?"

"The kind your mother warned you about," Batman said. "You shouldn't have come to Gotham, Wade."

"Let me out of here and I promise I'll be out of your fair city as soon as possible." Hijack shifted restlessly in his restraints. A few moments of silence went by before he asked, "So, is this the _Bat-torture-chamber_ or what?"

"No," Beast Boy snapped, "it's the _Hijack spills his guts chamber!_ What did you do to Terra?"

"Who?"

" _Terra!"_ Beast Boy pushed past the others so that he was in front of the window. "Blond hair. Big blue eyes! Controls the earth with her mind! Any of _that_ ring a bell!?"

The man considered for a long moment.

Then a slow, terrible smile broke across his face.

" _Ohhhh,_ her. Oh, I could never forget _her_."

"Beast Boy," Batman narrowed his eyes at Hijack, "you can't depend on him to tell the truth. He's trying to upset you—for his own sick entertainment."

"Tell me what you did," Beast Boy said; ignoring the Dark Knight. He placed a pale hand on the glass and wished with all his might to have his powers back. If only he could transform, maybe he'd be strong enough to rip the cell door off and throttle the truth out of Slade's brother.

Hijack craned his neck so he had a better view of the boy. "I'll _never_ forget her face—the way she looked at her hands when she realized I'd cut her powers off. She looked so damn betrayed."

Hijack laughed. "Without her powers it took nothing to kill her. All I had to do was get the little bitch cornered, and **BAM—** "

Beast Boy and the other Titans flinched.

"—dropped her like a rock! I got her right behind a high school. Guess she won't have to worry about being late to Geology again, huh?" Hijack cackled.

"What are you saying?" Beast Boy asked. "You mean—you actually _killed her!?"_

Snarling, Beast Boy tried to smash through the cell's observation window; beating his fists against the glass. When that didn't work, he started punching the door, but none of his strikes left so much as a dent and left his knuckles bleeding. The dart wound in his shoulder throbbed. Growling, he rammed his other shoulder against the cell's window. Hijack's laughter spurred him on.

Starfire wrapped Beast Boy in her arms and floated backwards with him.

He struggled; his teeth clenched. "Starfire, let me go!"

No matter how hard he thrashed, there was no escaping the alien girl's iron grip. She squeezed Beast Boy close to her body and pleaded with him to stop. Frustrated tears slipped down his face.

"Why are you protecting him, Star?" Beast Boy cried; his voice a mixture of grief and anger. "He killed her! _Don't you even care?"_

"That's enough, BB," Cyborg said, but softer he added, "Look man, we don't even know if he's telling the truth."

"Feel free to go have a looksee," Hijack taunted; overhearing them through the still-opened communication system. "Friendly warning though—I'd definitely go with an empty stomach, haha!"

Beast Boy growled and renewed his struggles, but in his mind, he began seeing flashes of Terra—her smile—her laughing at his lame jokes. He imagined her face, how terrified she must have been when she realized her powers no longer worked, that some maniac had her cornered, and she was all alone.

Beast Boy squeezed his eyes shut as his anger abandoned him.

 _She's really dead, and she was alone._

 _She needed us._

 _She needed me!_

 _I wasn't there._

With quiet authority, Raven said, "We'll make sure Hijack doesn't hurt anyone else. For now, you've got to get control of yourself."

Beast Boy lowered his head. "I'm sorry," he managed in a broken whisper.

"Starfire," Cyborg said, and when the girl met his gaze, he shot a pointed look up towards the higher levels of the cave.

She understood immediately. With her arms still around him, Starfire carried her grief-stricken friend up to the main console. She set him down near the bank of computers.

Beast Boy covered his wet face with both hands. Right away, Alfred swept an arm around the young hero.

"I should have been there," Beast Boy said, burying his face into Alfred's tailored vest.

"There is nothing you could have done," the butler assured. "The events that are now in motion, none of us could have foreseen and prevented."

* * *

 **Starfire left Beast Boy in the care of Alfred; rejoining the others at Hijack's cell.**

Batman said, "As much as I want to break that smile off your face, I need you to talk. How did you manage to defeat Terra Markov?"

"Same way I nixed Slade's healing factor," Hijack replied with a grin. After hours of being strapped into the cell alone with nothing but the occasional onslaught of pain to keep him company, the villain seemed more than happy to talk. "Right now, it's Slade's body versus the Limiters coursing through his bloodstream, and those little buggers are always ripping up his cells. I got to admit, he's healed up a lot more than a thought he'd be able to. Maybe I should've hacked his arms off. Guess there's always next time."

"There won't be a next time, LaFarge. Your spree of terror is over," Batman said.

"Nah, that's not true. I still gotta kill that kid," Hijack said. "And when I do, it'll be something for the books. This one is special—I know that for a fact. I mean, Slade didn't show up to save his old buddy, Alex, or that guy's rock-tossin' girlfriend, did he? Nah. He picked the Boy Wonder of all people to chase down. You know what that tells me? It means I get to twist the knife _one more time._ I thought rubbing salt in the wound was all I had left; that all the people he really gave a damn about were dead. Then I found out he was keeping tabs on this kid and, hell! It's like Christmas all over again!"

Batman asked, "What kind of tabs?"

"Every kind. Which surprised me, you know, cause I'd always figured that Robin belonged to you—the Big Bad Bat. I mean, who else would let their kid dodge bullets every night? Only a full-grown man who dresses up like a bat at night, right?"

Hijack laughed. "But when I saw how much surveillance my brother was keeping on the little twerp, my honest to god first thought was— _Holy Hell, that kid's about the same age as Grant—Slade went and had a little bastard behind Adie's back!_ "

An edge crept into the Dark Knight's tone. "Robin is not Slade's son."

"If you say so. But he's keeping just as many tabs on that kid as he did on my nephews. Are you sure you don't need a paternity test?" Hijack laughed.

"Slade tried to force Robin into becoming his apprentice," Raven said. "That was a long time ago. It's as deep as any connection between them goes."

"Looked to me like he was gearing up for round two," Hijack said. "I wish I would've known about the probes. Those things hurt! They won't be enough though. Not next time."

"Whatever you've done to yourself, it's not stable," the Dark Knight warned. "As soon as we figure out how you've modified your body, we're putting an end to it."

"Good luck," Hijack sneered.

* * *

 **Batman led the younger heroes away. He was sure there was little else they'd be able to learn from Hijack. They rejoined Alfred and Beast Boy at the console.**

Beast Boy numbly sat in the chair beside Alfred's.

 **Suddenly, every screen on the console switched to an image of Slade. He wore his armor. The walls behind him were a bland gray.**

* * *

" _Hello, Dark Knight, Titans… Alfred,"_ Slade greeted. _"No, Robin didn't tell me. I've known about Bruce Wayne's secret basement for years. I always wondered when I'd end up cashing in that knowledge."_

Batman's eyes narrowed. "It'll take more than the threat of blackmail to stop me, Deathstroke."

" _Oh, it's far too late in this game for empty threats,"_ Slade replied; the amusement dropping from his voice. _"Stop searching for us… or I'll make sure the media, the police, and every villain down to the pettiest thug in Gotham knows where to find you. I'll even provide a blueprint of your lovely estate. Maybe throw in a list of your dearest friends and loved ones. It's time, Dark Knight, for you to accept that you're not getting him back. You only stand to lose much more. As a courtesy to my apprentice, I thought I'd at least give you fair warning."_

"He's not your apprentice," Beast Boy snapped; turning his wet glare up at the screens. "He's Robin. _Our_ Robin."

 _"He's not your leader anymore. He's not your anything,"_ Slade said. _"You would be wise to let him go before something terrible happens."_

Beast Boy growled, "That what you said before! You said I should let Terra go, and look what happened! _She's dead!_ And it's your fault!"

 _"Come now, Beast Boy, the girl did throw me into a pit of lava. I think we can all agree that she tried to murder me first."_

Beast Boy was about to growl a retort, but Slade continued. _"Her sacrifice saved Robin. Was the life of that fickle-hearted girl really worth more than his to you? If I hadn't manipulated Hijack into targeting her first, Robin would probably be dead. I made her the easy target to increase Robin's chances of survival."_ Remorselessly, Slade added, _"Of course, Beast Boy, you almost ruined everything. It would have all been for nothing if you had persisted in contacting Terra. Fortunately, getting you to back off from the girl was relatively easy. Everything worked out."_

Beast Boy's heart twisted. He swore, "I won't let you ruin Robin's life like you did hers. I won't let him down!"

 _"How very valiant."_ Slade's gaze switched to Batman. _"But if you don't mind, the adults need to talk. Be a good beast and go take yourself for a walk. The Dark Knight and I need to discuss my apprentice."_

"Man, haven't you learned?" Cyborg asked. "He's not your apprentice. He's not gonna do it, and we're not gonna leave him behind. Not then. Not now. Not ever! Once we get those probes taken care of, we'll see how much control over him you have."

" _Personally, I think of the probes as training wheels. Sooner or later, he won't need them. Robin will follow me,"_ Slade assured his audience, _"and he'll do it on his own."_

"Oh yeah? What makes you think that?" Beast Boy leaned forward on the console to glare up at the screens.

Batman allowed a scowl. Otherwise, he kept his emotions firmly tamped down. "Why are you so committed to having Robin as your apprentice?"

" _Because he deserves it. Besides, the boy went up for grabs the moment you kicked him out of Gotham,"_ Slade said, enjoying the shocked look on the Titans' faces. _"I had already intended on taking him from you—but then you sent him out into world like a gift. Did you really think he'd be safer outside your shadow? Or …was he just too much of a liability?"_

"It's hard for anything to grow in a shadow," Batman said. "You've started a dangerous game, _Slade._ I know you feel like you're in control—but you won't like how this ends. You're going to be disappointed."

" _Sound familiar?"_ Slade asked, looking off screen to his left. _"My apprentice told me something remarkably similar. But he's learned since then. Haven't you, Apprentice?"_

There was no response.

Slade's head tilted a little to the side, his gaze still off to the left, and suddenly, to the horror of those gathered in the Batcave, the nanoscopic probes were activated. Theyy heard Robin cry out in pain, but the sounds of his distress quickly became muffled as if he covered his mouth.

Beast Boy fell out of his chair, clutching his middle in pain. His body glowed orange and red as if burning internally. Raven fell to her knees as Alfred and the other two Titans hurried to comfort their agonized friends. There was nothing they could do.

" _Well I suppose he's still learning,"_ Slade said; facing Batman. _"Do you hear that, Robin? ...I forgot to mention it to you earlier, but two of your former friends gave me no choice but to infect them."_

"Please! Stop this torture now!" Starfire flew close to the screen. "It is not necessary!"

" _I disagree."_

"You will kill them! And you will kill Robin!" she said; her eyes flashing green as she raised her glowing fists.

Abruptly, the probes shut off. Raven and Beast Boy gasped in relief. They were helped to their feet by Alfred and Cyborg.

Batman's eyes narrowed.

" _Good, Robin,"_ Slade said; gazing left again. _"You deactivated them on your own. I'm impressed. Should we try a higher setting?"_

"It's not just a form of control," Batman said; anger making his voice tight, "It's another test."

" _You should be proud. He's the first person I've ever seen able to self-deactivate the probes,"_ Slade said. " _But back to business. By now I'm sure you've triangulated this location. You know, of course, what will happen if you any of you set foot outside that cave in the next forty-eight hours. For Robin's sake and whoever else Bruce Wayne holds dear, I hope you take my warning to heart. Do not attempt to leave that cave. Do not call for outside aid. And... do not pursue us. The moment you do, I'll turn on the probes. And remember, Dark Knight, I can always infect more people if that's what it takes to ensure your cooperation. ...It's time for you to let Robin go. It's what he wants. …You want them to keep living and protecting others, right, dear Apprentice?"_

The silence that followed made the heroes anxious. They didn't know if Robin had passed out, or if he was about to be tortured again, along with everyone else infected.

" _I know you're tired,"_ Slade said, _"but answer me. Or I'll—"_

"Let me see the boy," Batman said.

" _Is that an order, Dark Knight?"_ Slade watched Batman's eyes narrow. He then looked to the angry, hurt eyes of the Titans; to the glowering butler. Slade reached to his left. Robin was pulled over into the camera's view. He was wearing a uniform similar to Slade's and his cape. He looked ill, but Batman figured it had more to do with exhaustion than sickness.

Slade kept a hand around Robin's upper arm to support him. His other hand gestured towards Batman and the others. Robin gave them a stoic frown.

 _"I'll kill them if they ever pursue us again,"_ Slade told the young hero. _"Do you believe me?"_

 _"Yes,"_ Robin said; his voice raspy.

 _"Good. I wanted to give fair warning out of consideration for you. Now... Go ahead, Apprentice... you may bid them farewell."_

Robin focused on Batman. _"The infected people—you have to save them."_

"We will," Batman assured, his fists clenching as the probes were activated again, and Robin, collapsing, mashed his teeth together to keep from screaming. Slade grabbed him by the arms and forced Robin to stand facing the camera feed. Robin tried to calm down, but the pain was overwhelming. He gasped and struggled not to vocalize how much it split apart his muscles.

In the Batcave, Beast Boy and Raven writhed in agony.

"Leave them alone!" Cyborg growled as he knelt by Raven and gathered her against his chest. She was in so much pain, and it hurt Cyborg deeply to know he couldn't stop it; that he had failed to remove the probes. Beside him, Starfire and Alfred were doing their best to comfort Beast Boy. They were kneeling to either side of him; hands trying to support him as he curled into a ball and pulled at his hair.

Slade spoke to his captive. _"If you don't already, you're going to regret this behavior."_

"You'll regret everything," Batman promised; the dark edge in his tone earning a glance from Slade.

" _Are you finished?"_ Slade asked, and when the boy nodded in exhaustion, the probes turned off. Robin couldn't stand on his own, so Slade wrapped an arm around the exhausted boy's waist and held a fistful of black hair to keep Robin upright.

Slade said, _"It's long past time to go, Apprentice. For their sake, this had better be the last time we ever see their faces. I'm granting you a favor by allowing you to bid your former friends—your former family—farewell. It's a mercy I certainly wasn't allowed. Now, stop stalling and tell them goodbye."_

Robin met the gaze of each of his friends. Breathing hard, he looked to Starfire and Alfred; his masked eyes resting finally on Batman. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay focused on his mentor's steady gaze.

He couldn't bring himself to say everything he wanted to say. He hoped that everyone could tell that he knew they wouldn't give up—he knew they were going to outsmart Slade. They would work together, and like always, they would win.

The fingers in his hair tightened.

" _Goodbye,"_ Robin said, wincing, and the feed was cut.

* * *

 **1) DamienWayne: A)** I don't think sex/gender has any effect on writing ability, but to answer your question, I'm female. **B)** I've been writing to the soundtracks of _Little Nightmares, Arkham City, Arkham Knight, The Dark Knight, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Until Dawn,_ and _Outlast: Whistleblower._


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